Metamorphosis

2010-01-21T22:19:00.000-08:00

Just before getting my 18 wk ultrasound...and.......

...it's a girl!
And my daddy brought me the most beautiful flowers :-)
It may be difficult to tell from the picture but the orange was so vibrant!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone...or post Christmas, as it is over now. I hope everyone had an amazing one!
This was our Christmas card picture, for those of you who didn't receive one.
Yes, we went cheap this year...so if you live in the same city as us, or check our blog regularly...you didn't get one. But I still LOVE YOU!!!
Next year we'll be rolling in the dough, so you'll all get like two or three...just watch ;-)

This is also our little news letter, as to how we are all doing... we're doing fine thank you. Just kidding. We're better then fine! The Lord has blessed us exceedingly this year. We have now been in Yuma for a little over a year, enjoyed all of the time we get to spend with our family and and our new church friends, and are so excited for our new baby to arrive in June. We find out the sex one the 21st of January, so I'll keep you updated!
We are still in our smallish two bedroom apartment, but it still meets all of our needs and the Lord has given me a contenment...and even a joy at still being here...even if we are still here when the baby comes.
I'm already starting to nest and have rearranged furnature and organized junk as to make room for the extra little person to come...and I love to reorganize and redecorate, so I'm not the least bit sad we may still be here for a while.
Aaron just got a promotion within his company (a raise that we needed) and so we praise God for His provision!

[Aaron's company X-mas Party]

[Best presents I could ever have!]

Aloria and Justus are also doing well...they got over their colds just days before Christmas, so I was thankful for that...and besides Aaron catching a mild version of what they had, we have been healthy.
Aloria is still in ballet and loving it. Justus is as clingy as ever, yelling "ma" at me as though he were a little calf lost somewhere...in truth, he could be sitting in my lap and still find reasons to yell out my name. If I wore an apron he'd be holding the strings 24/7 :-)
It's difficult to be irritated about it when he's so stink'n cute, but I still manage to get to that emotion by the end of the day. I've heard that at 2 yrs old they start to get interested in their dads more. We'll find out in 6 months...just in time for the baby.
Aloria knows all about me having a baby and seems to be completely fine with it...even happy about it. She is very independent and I don't think she will feel replaced at all. Justus, on the other hand still pushes Aloria away, on occasion, to take his position on my lap... I think he will definately feel the lack of my attention, but I will do my best to spread the love as best as I can!
How could I not...they are the biggest blessings in my life (aside from my husband of course ;-)
Aaron is doing well...he's been trying to keep fit by running and doing push ups (kids sitting on his back of course)...not that he needs it. What a perfect husband I have ;-) I'm the one with the growing waiste line...oh wait, that's a baby. You should see my wrists and ankles though...just as trim and fit as ever, haha.
One thing that everyone could pray for is Aaron's blood pressure ;-) ...actually, I'm serious. He just had a physical and it is on the higher end. He said something about hypertension...not exactly sure where that is on the the good bad scale, but it seems to be closer to the bad and it's been a little stressful for Aaron, as he comes from a family where high blood pressure runs in the family and his dad has several heart attacks. ...and as stress is not good for high blood pressure, please pray for his peace of mind, as well as a healthy body.
Moody wives are also bad for blood pressure, so please pray that I continue to learn self control so that I might keep my hormonally imbalanced pregnant self in check.
As for the kids, please pray for their continued health, and that Aaron and I might grow in godly wisdom and knowledge so that we might lead them in the ways of the Almighty!
Blessings to you all!

...and now ...a little more of our holiday fun!

Before and After shots...

2009-12-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

We started Christmas Eve day a little more casual until the guest arrived and then I put the kids in their Christmasy best... Although I think they're darn cute either way! Justus may have actually been a little dressier before :-)

She let me curl her hair and put it back with a head band ("let" was really me saying I was going to and putting up with a little whining, haha) ...it totally changes her appearance to have her hair done. I've trying to get her used me doing it more often, but she still likes to go all natural when it comes to hair.
She loved her dress, though...and though it's hard to see in the picture, it was very glittery!

I had this really cute sweater vest I had bought for Justus, but it was an expensive purchase for just one day of wearing something that he will grow out of by next Christmas.
...so we went for cute and casual.

Let the festivities begin!

2009-12-30T11:03:00.000-08:00

Although the festivities were suppose to begin after dinner, it was the end for Aloria. She had gotten the hives the day before from I don't know what, and was still itching and little blotchy Christmas Eve, so I gave her another dose of Benedryl.
You can see the results!
Justus, on the other hand, we couldn't get to fall asleep. I let him cry in his bed for quite a while, and then finally let him open a gift and watch Winnie the Pooh, while Aloria slept on the couch.

...and she wasn't the only one!
Aaron had worked Christmas Eve, so I went up to Cali a day early with my folks and he joined us after he got off of work. He had been up since five am to get to work and then drove the four hours to my grandparents. He was zonked out as well.

Right before presents were opened my aunts decided it was a great idea to take group pictures...here are all of the second cousins. My cousin Jennifer's three (three older ones on the right), my cousin Freddie's daughter (red shoes), my cousin Devin's daughter (the four month old) and of course my two on the left. You can't really see Aloria's face, but I woke her up for this event at the erging of family, and she was not a happy camper...as I knew she wouldn't be. Justus was in still in high spirits though and antagonized her with poking and leaning on her so much that I had to move him for the next picture.
Needless to say, she went right back to sleep on the couch when we were done and didn't wake up until everyone else had already opened all of their gifts...about the time Justus went to bed (10 pm or so). What a topsy turvey evening :-)

Before the kids opened gifts, the adults had their gift exchange.
This picture is funny because my two beautiful cousins below are going the way of the liberal dark side, but both ended up with the most conservative of gifts out there...Glenn Beck's Arguing with Idiots and Sarah Palin's Going Rogue.
It was really funny!

Christmas Day

2009-12-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

Although, Aaron and I had presents for the kids to open on Christmas Eve, we waited to give their "special" gifts until Christmas Day.
...and I'm glad we did. Christmas Eve was noisy and busy and with friends and family (and fun, of course), but we were able to start off Christmas Day quiet...quiet and relaxing.
Justus woke up first, and so Aaron retrieved his new tricycle from the trunk of the car and brought it in for him. Justus crawled into the big box and helped pull out all of the parts, and then helped his daddy put it all together.
He was so excited!...and helpful. He handed all the things Aaron asked for to him and got to help put them in place...and when he pulled out the bike seat, without either of us telling him what it was, he set it down and sat on it (which he was doing in this picture). It was sooo cute!
I was hoping that the bike would be his size, but it is still too big for him. Justus has, however, that it is still fun to ride it Flinstone style using leg power, since his feet still reach the ground.
Aaron took both kids out for a walk with the dog the other day, and he said that Justus is getting the hang of steering, which goes a long way when riding a bike :-)

Aloria, woke up about half way through Aaron putting Justus' trike together, and so she got to open her much awaited for skooter!
She had been asking for one fairly regularly, which surprised me, since she doesn't even like to ride her trike at my parents house. ...but she must have known what she'd enjoy more. she helped put her skooter together with Aaron and then got the hang of riding it right away!
We had at first planned to have the bikes put together for Christmas morning, but we were too exhausted to follow through...but Aaron said he really enjoyed doing it this way, so that he got to work together with the kids and so that they could see how something gets put together :-)

I don't remember who told me to take the kids picture while they were eating, but they did look awefully cute from the back sitting together that way.
They are getting so big, and I just can't express how much I love them! This picture makes me just want to squeeze them!

The day after Christmas, we went with my mom and dad to see Brent and Deanna's new duplex they just moved into.
It was really cute, and the area they lived in was equally so...we had a really enjoyable walk to a nearby restaurant where we all ate lunch together. It was chilly, but not so bad that we couldn't eat outside, which we did. The kids did really well staying in their seats...which was good because we were by a street and I wouldn't have let them get down anywho.

...and this pretty much concluded our holiday season...it was enjoyable, but I'm glad it's over and a new year is beginning. I like new things! It makes me feel like reduing lots of things...so I did. I rearranged the kids bedroom and sorted through all of their toys.
Aloria helped me take down the tree and then said... "why did we take the tree down?" "Because Christmas is over." "...well, what happends next, mommy?" "New Years...where we get to yell 'Happy New Year' and make lots of noise." She seemed satisfied with this answer.
So here's to then...just two days away!
Let's not forget to thank the Lord for all of his mercies this year and all that He has instore for us for the next.
May His blessings on your lives abound more and more!

P.S.
For all who haven't been here before, you can click on Aloria or Justus' name to the left and see more pictures on their individual sites.

Soooo...I should have mentioned earlier...

2009-11-17T08:49:00.000-08:00

September is one of those months...you know. I guess Aaron and I just can't stay away from each other. Perhaps it has something to do with the rotation of the earth. Anywho...another one due in June, hehe.
We wre planning on waiting until January to try (so I could get through the holidays with an appitite, among other things), but the Lord had other plans.
I was excited, Aaron was shocked...I've been very nautious and Aaron has had to make his own meals... I think that Aaron has moved from shocked to pleasant acceptance ...perhaps even excitement, though I wouldn't go so far as to say that until I start making meals again :-)

I should have posted this news earlier, but it's been a crazy couple of months...oh ya, I'm a little over two months pregnant...
I got nautious the day after I missed my period...stink...and have been feeling bleh ever since, though I am now on the other side of bleh, I think. I've really only had to throw up every morning and every night instead of multiple time throughout my day...and last night I didn't even throw up. ...not that I didn't feel like I needed to, I just decided to see if I could stiffle it and go to sleep anyway. Praises for small blessings.
Anyway, back to it being a crazy couple of months...September I got pregnant, in October our car needed to go into the shop, Ivy developed a uterus infection that resulted in an emergency surgery the day we took her into the vet (it was either surgery or put her down...I never thought we'd pay out that much for a dog), I had two or three awful dentist visits (long story, but I left the office crying and not having to pay because they started a regular filling they couldn't finish because it was a root canal, but they had already exposed the root before they had to put a temp filling in...blowing air and water on it...I thought I was going to die!), and then finally I caught the flu from Justus (most likely the H1N1, though I was never tested). That was the longest sentence ever! That flu completely kicked my butt! It took me days to get over it and days to recover. Luckily my mom was able to take the kids for a day and a half. I lost 8 pounds. Take my nausia and add the flu and I didn't have a chance. Anyway, I was down to 112...1 lb more then when I got married. I wasn't happy with that weight then because I felt too skinny, but since I'm guaranteed to gain wait with the pregnancy, I don't mind starting low.
My only real disappointment is that after I stopped nursing (the day Justus turned 16 months...I was already pregnant, so I really had to get to stopping anyway), my hope chest vanished and after feeling nice and curvy for sooo long, I now feel like a boy with a beer gut:-( Oh well. I'm already showing. I'm only two months +...your body doesn't wait long to change the more kids you have...it seems to remember better then I do what's supposed to happen. I mean, if I had remembered my nausia, I wouldn't have been so quick to want more kids...so of course I'm glad I don't remember, because they're the greates things ever!
Case in point...just look below at how cutie patootie they are!!!

Aaron and Aloria waiting (with Auntie Anne in the background) for Uncle Andrew to come in from his half marathon he ran for Amberly's Place. Anne is pregnant too...she's due in late April...aaaand my other sister in law, Deanna (my brother's wife) is due with their first in May. Yeah for cousins!

Justus and I running a booth for our church's 100 yr anneversary community block party.
He is quickly losing that baby look and acting more and more like a little boy. I'm just trying to hang on to him as long as possible as my baby, knowing that the time will go by quickly and soon I will have another baby to baby...and I'll have to realize he's all growed up! Yes, I said growed up! Okay...perhaps two is not grown up, but it feels like it sometimes.

P.S. Molly, two years is a good age gap...just saying.

End of September

2009-09-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a long while since I have written, but I wanted to let you all know how we are doing thus far. We did move out (in May) of my parents house and into a little two bedroom. It's small, but it meets our needs and after decorating and painting the walls...it really feels like our home. I have loved every place we have lived in since being married...our first one bedroom apartment, our duplex, and now this. It's really not much, but it's ours (as long as we keep paying rent, haha) and it's where we live as a family...and I love being in this family and so I love this home!

Aaron's job is going well; he is still enjoying it, I think. It is an entry level job though, and we are now more financially tight than ever...but, he has the opportunity to move up the ranks in October (he had to wait six month before applying for another position in the company), so praise God. He's still taking care of us, so I will once again refuse to worry.

We found a really nice church. It is literally a ten minute walk...just a few blocks away. When it is not too hot we push the kids there in the stroller. ...it's been a while, obviously, but the desert is finally starting to cool down, and so we enjoy what we can and when it's bearable to walk...we do. We've made a lot of friends...there were much more young couples in the church then I had at first noticed. We are a part of a Bible study group once a week (going through a video series called the Truth Project...very interesting!) One of my closest friends that I made at church used to live right behind the church, so we used to see each other a lot. They moved up closer to my parents, so now not as often, but it is still convenient when we are up that way. I miss having her close though...especially since I don't have a car during the day while Aaron is working. At first I thought I might go nuts without a vehicle...and although it has been inconvenient at times, I have really not minded. There is a lot whithin walking distance of our apartment complex. We blocks from the freeway (easy for Aaron to get on for work), we are maybe 12 minutes from a library (across the street from our church)...about 15 minutes walking from about three different parks (one being a water park and a pool). And there is also a grocery store across from our church in the other direction. It's a Mexican grocery store (meaning it caters a little more to there style of food, I suppose...a little more pricey actually, but still good in a pinch).

Aloria is in ballet (my parents gift to her). She loves it! I'll post pictures soon.
Anne is pregnant again, so Aloria will soon have another cousin. Can't wait!
Beth is back from Africa (after being there a year) safe and sound...that is a praise!
My brother is done with boot camp, and is already being called out to Afganistan in March...please pray for his safety when the time comes! ...and for him and his wife...being apart is never easy!
My grandparents just celebrated their 60th wedding anneversary, and we were able to go up to California and be there for it...just another blessing of being down here. My grandfather is an amazing artist, by the by...and it just occured to me to ask him to teach me to draw...now that he's 89. Do you think it took me long enough? Anyway, he gave me too lessons and some homework (practise work) to do. I'm really enjoying it and hope that I can learn as much as I can from him.

What else? I've started reading books again! Very excited about that. I though I couldn't fit them in to my life now that I have kids who were constantly wanting my time, but every so often I find some moments. I read the "Proper Care and Feeding of a Husband" by Dr. Laura. It was awesome! I highly recomend it. Also, I read Captivating (sister book to Wild at Heart)...and think it's nonsense...sorry, but it's a smigin of inspiration with a whole lot of filler. My opinion anyway. My other shocking opinion is on My Utmost for His Highest. I've never really read it before but always heard it was amazing. Aaron started reading it to me in the mornings before he left for work. Most of it is really really poor theology. Chambers is speaking from his heart...but not from the Scriptures. Try and back up half of what he says and you can't. Anyhoo, I was extremely disappointed in it. Aaron and I had lots of arguments about the validity of what he was "trying" to say and what I felt he was actually saying... Anyway, a seasoned believer might be able to wade through it to gain some meaning out of it, but I think it would really confuse a new believer. That's all.
Also, all those who know Keegan. His parents just had him sent to a school for troubled teens. Please please pray for him. It breaks my heart, but I know that he is troubled, and I don't think he really knows the Lord! Please pray for him!
Until next time...

Current events...

2009-03-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

AARON GOT A JOB!!!

Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's with a contracted business on the Marine Base. Once a Marine always a Marine, right. In one way or another :-) He'll be working in electronics... He won't be making too much more then what he made in Grand Junction to start with, but it has full benefits and tuition assistance to continue his education in that field. Awsome! I'm so proud of him for sticking with it and filling out all those applications that drove him nuts. He didn't give up, even though it was frustrating waiting so long...living at home with my parents. Living here has been good, to be sure...but I think for a man, there is always that sense of needing to provide for ones own family. Not sure what our next step is yet, but we have some time to think about it. My parents still love having us here...don't want to give up having the grandkids around :-) We might look at apartments before houses and save up some more. We may need to buy a new car...our is going capoot (is that how you spell that :-P ).

There are a lot of uncertanties ahead still, but we finally saw the light at the end of this tunnel and we are praising God!!! It was the first thing we did. He is so faithful! Thank you Jesus for bringing us to this place of dependence on You! ...and thank you for this job for Aaron! He starts on Monday.

I have more to talk about, but for the now, I just wanted to share the news. I'm off to sleep... God bless you all, friends! Keep trusting in Him to meet all of your needs! We won't be disappointed!

An ode to Nani

2009-03-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm not very good at "ode's"...but isn't my Nani gorgeous?!!!!!!!!
I took these pictures because I love her hair...particularly the curly cue in the front!
Most old ladies have those butch hair cuts, dyed either purple or red...but not Nani.
She still looks so feminine and beautiful!
Nani looked a lot like her mom, and my mom looks like Nani, and I look like my mom...so maybe this will be me in 60 years, if I'm lucky :-)
She just turned 89.
No biggie...her mom lived to 101!

Pictures in March 09...none for February

2009-03-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

Aaron is such a good dad! I just can't say that enough. I can't wait until the kids are older and can interact with him at a more mature level. They will love doing things together...camping, exploring, building things.
As it is, he already introduces them to a lot of what he does (whenever he's watching them, they sort of tag along for whatever he's working on), and every night he prays over them.
Love you honey!

This was at YPG...do you see me? This was an overland train. It pulled other cars of its size and was able to accomidate living quarters for about 7 people, I think. It was so huge!

Gathered in California for my Nani's birthday (turned 89) and my grandfather's hip replacement (88). He's doing well.
While we were there my mom ended up having out patient surgery for a hurniated disc that she had been dealing with for months, not knowing what it was...she was in excrutiating pain. She is also doing well now!
Praise Jesus!
(my brother and his wife, Deanna on the right)
Brent is leaving for Army boot camp in a few weeks and Deanna will by all by her lonesome (living with her family, though...a blessing), so keep them both in your prayers! They won't be able to be in contact much, other then letters and one call every three weeks, or something like that.

Some pictures from January 09

2009-03-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

I know I have not updated in a while, but it's been so long and there's so much to catch up on that I felt overwhelmed every time I wanted to start... This is how I'm going to deal with this.
I'm not!
I will not catch up on the past three months, other then a few comments on pictures, and then when I'm done, I will let you know how we are at present.

New Years picture with Anne and Andrew (and Lydia)

On the way to Colorado...stopped in Vegas to visit family.
I love this picture...even though Aloria is not my "baby" anymore...she still is, you know?!
She'll always be my baby, and love every moment with her.

Taking a tour of the city in Aaron's aunt and uncle's Coach (motor home they bought).
It was fun to ride around without seatbelts.

My November due

2008-12-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

Although my September haircut looked nice in the wedding photos I posted. I hated it every second of every day. I woke up hating it and went to sleep hating it. I liked the pictures, but in general it didn't do what I wanted it to, and when I tried to get a repeat performance of day of the wedding...no luck. It was not the least bit cooporative. It was big on top and flippy on bottom, and just not what I wanted! Unfortunately, Aaron loved it.

This, on the other hand, I love every second of the day. I like it when I straighten it, I like it when it's messy. It's the easiest hair cut I've ever had...little to no fuss necessary! Unfortunatley, Aaron hates it.
It tapers up in the back and he thinks I look like a Romulan (or Vulcan, whatever). I asked if he thought I was, at least, a pretty vulcan. He said yes, and that is almost good enough for me. Okay, so I like my husband to be happy with my due. I'm going to schedule another appointment to get it ship shape again (as it has grown out some), and since the taper in the back is what he doesn't like the most, I will go for a bop. You won't really be able to tell from the front anyway, and that is what I see....sigh.

An October wedding

2008-11-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

Mid-October, we went to a wedding of a friend, I hadn't seen in years. It was in San Diego...just beautiful.
I think this is our first family picture since Justus was born.

We all wore red...in one form or another. "There's no place like home, there's no place like home."

The reception

2008-11-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

The reception was really nice...the view was awsome,

the chairs were entertaining (at least Aloria thought so)

...and so was the company. The only other toddler their was a 4 yr old, named Angela (is that still considered a toddler...I don't think so), and once they found each other, everything was sunshine! When Angela had to return to her side of the reception hall with her parents, Aloria would walk around our section, cupping her hands over her mouth and yelling, "Anhla?"
They danced their little hearts out!

Long lost friends

2008-11-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

His wife was beautiful!

Seeing John again was one of the oddest experiences of my life... We were really good friends when we were kids, here in AZ, but then he and his family moved away when he was 12. 12! I haven't seen him in, roughly, 16 years. We've had no interaction as adults, and we never stayed in touch...like I said, we were 12.
I finally got to say hi to him for the money dance. We both smiled at each other and I could tell that we were both happy to see each other again, but all we could say was..."wow, it's been a long time." Haha I wish I could have had a chance to sit down with him and ask him a million questions and find out all sorts of things, but his wedding was hardly the place to do it. I will say this, when we were kids, all he talked about was becoming a jet pilot like his dad...and he did! He and his wife are both in the airforce stationed in Europe. I said hi to her first, and liked her right off. She's a Christian, and just had that sort of personality that makes you want to be friends with her :-) I'm really happy for them both!

This is his brother who is my brothers age (which is why it worked out so well for us to play when we were kids)... He approached me, asking if I remembered him. Of course! Later he told me I didn't look like he remembered at all, and that he wouldn't have recognized me. I don't know why, but both of them look like the same to me (adult versions of what I remember)...less so Jason, but John for sure.
My mom spoke with their mom after the wedding (they were good friends) and she said that John told her I looked so pretty and pure. "Pure." I was toting two kids and had a low cut shirt, and I still looked pure. It made me laugh, and I totally took it as a complement, because I know he intended it to be one. I told Aaron, and he said that is how he thinks of me also. Ahhhhh. What a sweetie.

The whole wedding was pretty fun...especially for Aaron and I. Going to other peoples weddings is always like going out on a date :-)
During the bride and groom dance, Aaron leaned over to me and said that he was glad we weren't in that place anymore. I had just been wondering if he wished we were, due to the fact that I was much nicer then, haha... With two kids so early in our marriage, and being pregnant and hormonal most of the time, I always wonder how he puts up with my cranky and predictably unpredictable moods. "Why is that?" I said. He looked straight at me, "because I like being here." He was holding my hand at that moment and I could have melted. I'll never forget that.
Sometimes you feel like you've been acting like such a jerk towards the person you love the most, only to find out...they still love you, and not only that, they love you better.
Thank you, Lord, for Aaron!

Glow baby glow

2008-11-05T13:03:00.000-08:00

At some point during the reception someone started handing out glow stick bracelets and necklaces...Aloria and Angela wandered all over the dance floor collecting them, going back to the person handing them out for more, picking them up off of the floor and stealing them from each other. It was really funny. I think at one point Aloria was wearing 7 necklaces, or something close to that. It was a lot of a fun and a great idea.

Just before we left the reception for the long drive home, I had one last dance with my son...who just wanted to go to sleep, I'm sure. Once Justus finally fell asleep in the car, both he and Aloria slept soundly without a peep for the 2 1/2 hour drive home:-)

Bring on the election...

2008-11-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that it is already November? Is everyone ready to vote tomorrow?!!! I think that these are really scary times...if you don't keep your eyes on the Lord, it's easy to feel like drift wood. So much talk about health care, gas, drilling, economy, taxes, etc... Did I mention that we found a church we like? We did...and in the first message we heard him give, he spoke a little on this very subject. He was trying to bring comfort and truth to his congregation, and it was just what I needed to hear. I was having so many fears! If Obama wins, we are two steps away from becoming a socialist country, running hard and fast towards a global economy. If McCain wins, we may delay the process a little (4 yrs and two steps...unless he proves phenominal, I doubt he'd get realected), but the end is inevitable. Revelation tells us so. A one world government is clearly not that far off... every generation, since the times of the apostles, expected the Lord to return during their life times, and even now I hear it from my parents all of the time. Now or later, the time is drawing near. I have so many tangents I could go off on concerning this subject, but back to our pastor... In a nut shell, it is not the government who provides for us. We do not depend upon them for the health and well being of our family, though we get so caught up in politics that we end up thinking that way. Who does, then? The Lord does! Matthew 6:19-34 Do we trust Him to take care of us? I guess I've been thinking of this sort of thing a lot lately...and thank you for your comment, Molly...I'm not the only one. In short, even though our time on this earth may be brief (or long), remember the One who, not only cares for us, but sees every one our needs and provides for them. Also be smart about your decisions...no reason to rush in the end of the world just because it's inevitable...vote Palin; I mean McCain :-) Oh Lord, help us!

Life as we know it...

2008-10-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

Life is not completely normal (whatever that is), as we are still in transition, but we have a routine going again, and the kids have been back on a decent type schedule of doing normal type things....Life is good. God is good!...and we are greatful for the time we have here with family to live and grow as a family.

Bath time

First Sunday of church shopping
(Auntie Anne bought her a pretty new dress)

Still has story time with Daddy...only now two dogs look on instead of one.
Hunter and Ivy seem to get on fine. They don't play...or fight. They just sort of tolerate each other.

Most importantly...my lap is still plenty big enough for two (...though I'm working on changing that :-)

Road trip

2008-10-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

The trip took us two days...the kids were amazing.
I kid you not...not one crying fit...not ONE!!!
The DVD player really helped with Aloria in my parents truck and Justus seemed happy because he was hooked up between Aaron and I in the moving van and could see us whenever he woke up.
I only had to pump once each day, while Aaron drove, so that those times when we couldn't stop right away I had something to offer him. He took the bottle great, and slept and smiled most of the way there!

Aloria only asked to go home once, and that was when we were in the hotel room. I think she was pretty worn out.
I told her we were going to Nani's to be with the horse and Hunter (their dog)...she seemed satisfied.
We walked next door to a Deni's where Nani bought her Rocket cup as a souvenier (did I spell that right? hmmm).

Rewind

2008-10-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

I don't know what happened, but today I felt like blogging...which means a lot of catch up.
Though, if I thought that I had to relay every detail, I'd probably get right back off again, as my brain would become too overwhelmed to carry on :-) ...so here are some snippets of our move.

Signing papers (okay, this was before anyone else got there)
- you know, there is something far different about walking away from a paper signing and realizing that you no longer own your home, then the first time when we purchased it.
Though the first time we only got keys, and this time we got money...it was still sort of sad.

We left the signing to pick up our moving van...we went back and forth on the size over and over again, but finally settled on the 14 ft.
It "just" fit everything...from front to back, floor to ceiling, it was packed full.
We also had put our couch and spinner in the back of my parents truck and a bunch of other odds and ends in our car we towed.

We had people over for toasts and last goodbyes...if Aloria doesn't miss Caleb, I certainly do. In fact, I miss the whole Repshire Clan...hear that Repshires! I miss you guys!!!

This was only the start of what ended up to be a mound of packed boxes to be put into the van.

Last minute pictures

2008-10-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

This was our first home.
It served its purpose faithfully, and though I loved it while I was there, both Aaron and I agree that we haven't missed it.
Perhaps we're both just too busy looking ahead instead of behind.
It will always have wonderful memories for me though!

Way too early to be up...headed out somewhere between 5-6am.
I don't remember that far back anymore :-)

Not right now...

2008-09-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

I have so much to write about and so many pics to post...but not yet. We are getting hi-speed at my parents house in the next week, and so I will be back on then. As of now, I'm at their office computer, and need to get home to feed Justus. That's no excuse not to write anything, but sometimes when you have a million things to say, you can't seem to find the one word that you need to get started. Pretty much, I'm blocked...perhaps I have bloggers block, if there is such a thing ;-) In the mean time, I wish you all well, and just wanted to let you know that we are here safe and sound and getting used to life in the desert.

"When it rains it pours in Yuma, Arizona..." Truthfully...the first week here...huge thunderstorm!

Battle wound...

2008-08-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's not a battle wound, but it is a really cool shaped burn. During our camping experience, I was holding Aaron's gas lamp and I got it a little too close to my leg...ssszzzzzz!

Camping: August 08

2008-08-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

The August event for the Homebuilders group at chruch was camping...So I braved camping with my husband and two kids ...Justus just 6 1/2 weeks old! and it went splendidly!
We have lots of pics of the kids (just look on their blogs), but unfortunately forgot to take pics of each other, except for in the morning...you know, when we look our best! Woo hoo, anyone have a breath mint?

We managed to fit the pack and play in the back of the tent...which Aloria insisted on sleeping in (fine with me...less kicking and being squished), Aaron and I slept towards the front of the tent (could have used about 3 more inches of leg room), and Justus slept to the side in his carrier, enshrowded in mosquito netting.
Ivy, who Aaron and Aloria insisted come with us (I can't believe we managed to fit her in the backseat of the car), slept outside tied to a tree.

And then he woke up

2008-08-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

After Justus' second feeding (about 6am), I laid him down by us, and just enjoyed snuggling him. He stared at his new environment for a while (no crying to wake up his sister, which was wonderful...though it probably wouldn't have woken her up anyway), and then he fell asleep for another hour or so :-)
We had a really great morning and spent the rest of the afternoon at the swim beach (pics on Aloria's blog) with the other parents and kids. I look forward to the next camping adventure, hopefully with Anne, Andy and Lydia!

The Yard sale

2008-07-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

The canopy is down because it was after the sale, but their were two tables of "stuff" plus some, under it...

Greatful...

2008-07-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

First of all I just want to thank everyone for all of the wonderful encouragement that you have given me, via blogger and phone. I have been in somewhat of a stuper lately, but the smoke has begun to clear and for the last couple of days I have felt more myself, and thought that I had better let everyone know lest you think I've dropped off the planet.

I don't know where to start, but I will try and sum up as best as possible from where I left off. The yard sale, as a whole, was a success...we didn't sell much, but what we did sell, we got a lot for. Both of high priced items, as well as quite a few others, were bought by this middle aged couple visiting from Main. They probably spent over $400 dollars on things, and most of that on stuff that wasn't even out there to look at...it was totally a God thing! ...in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were angels sent specifically to provide us with money to live off of this week :-) Maybe that sounds far fetched, but that is the impression I got from them...but angels or not, they said they were Christians who had attended Icola in Cannon Beach. How cool is that?! They were such an answer to prayer for us, in the way of making money, that I must lift up their situation to you, intern, as well so that they might be covered with the same blessings. The woman's mother has cancer (which is why they are here)...she is having some tests done. If it is serious, they will stay and help take care of her, and if not they will be heading back (at least that is what it sounded like). They are here indefinately, not knowing what the future holds for them yet. The woman said (her husband's name is Larry, but my mind is drawing a blank on her name) that her mother is ready either way though, insinuating that she knew the Lord...so please lift them up in prayer. If nothing else, pray that they be richly blessed!

Other good news, is that we sold my LTD (Alice)... the Shaggin Wagon is gone (or will be as soon as we get paid for it...our neighbor's son is buying it after pay day). There was no shaggin in that wagon when I owned it, but you never know. The boy is young and not a Christian, so maybe we should pray that it is the unshaggin wagon, and that whatever angels chosen to protect me in it, would stay with their charge and shine a little light for this young man to see...and that the Holy Spirit give him a hightened sense of guilt! haha

I don't really know what to say about my anxiety attack, except that it was very scary...I felt completely out of control and alone (not caring whether or not I was to die)...I couldn't stop crying, or see past my sleep deprived emotions. I started to hyperventilate and for a few minutes (which seemed like forever) I couldn't get myself to move...to get up out of my chair to call Aaron for help. Then I heard Aloria cry from her room (she was napping) and my body went into auto pilot...I wiped my tears away so as not to frighten her and comforted her back to sleep, and then went to find Aaron. As soon as he walked into the house, I hugged him and started hyperventilating and crying again...he didn't waiste any time thinking I was "crazy"...well, I suppose he might have thought I was, but he took my "crazy" seriously, and said, "Do I need to take you somewhere or call someone?" He acted so quickly to the seriousness of my condition. I couldn't think right so he took me into the room to lay down, and having gone through a 2-3 month depression while overseas (in the military), he assumed that might be what I was dealing with, so pulling from what he would have wanted then, he pushed my knees up to my chest and pulled my arms in to my body (fetal possision) and then wrapped his arms around me and hugged me on the bed so so tight and let me cry ...and we stayed like that until I could think. I started to realize that Aloria would be up again soon and wasn't going to be able to deal with the day, nor did I want her to see me like that. So I asked him to call Rhonda and have her come and get her. It was hard to feel like I was in a place where I had to send my daughter away, but I knew it was the right thing. Rhonda came, I fell apart again, while she hugged me, and she offered to keep Aloria overnight. Then, later that day she called back asking (mostly telling:-) if she could come back over with her husband and father with their trailer to pick up all of our yard sale stuff, and store it in their garage for us until they could yard sale more of it for us...to help relieve some stress.
To give you some perspective...my house was still a mess, I had boxes in most every room, the yard was unfinished, and a whole trailer amount of stuff sat in our front yard that needed to be gone by the next day. It was Sunday, and our realitor was supposed to come over the next day to take pictures of the house for advertising. I just couldn't cope with all of that and taking care of both kids (and on top of that, all I wanted to do was sleep, having has so little of it lately). ...and it's not as if I didn't have help. I must sing the praises of my inlaws!!! While Aaron was still working full time (and coming home exhausted only to have to work on the yard, etc...) Larry was coming over every morning and hauling off debree and junk, fixing our window, etc... Marlene was here playing with Aloria so I could pack and clean! They were amazing, but there just wasn't time for everything, and Aaron and I were getting stressed at each other so we weren't able to pull any strength from the other as we were both at bottom, so to speak.
Soooo...Ed and Rhonda coming over to rid us of a front yard full of stress was huge!!! ...and at my request, Ed stayed and helped Aaron with some more work so that he could have the chance to talk with and encourage him. Aaron was stressed to, but I just didn't have the energy to encourage him, so I'm so greatful that Ed took the time to do what I could not! I had a good conversation with my mom that night, with Marlene, with Rhonda...with Aaron. It was truly an intervention...and then that night I slept! I still woke up for the baby, but the next day Aloria wasn't coming home until Aaron picked her up on his way back from work, so I slept some more. My mom told me that I needed to treat myself as though I were sick...I couldn't heal my mind if I didn't heal my body. So I forced myself not to pack or clean...I slept, I watched a movie, and I ate and drank as much as I could. When your body is stressed, certain other systems shut down...such as your immune system and digestive system, etc... and that Sunday I fell to pieces, I had eaten breakfast before church, but then nothing else until 11 at night and still wasn't really hungry. So the next day I could tell that my milk production was suffering from my unplanned fast. It took a day or two, but I am back to normal in that department...which Justus is happy about. I started to feel more normal, but still mechanical in my movements and ability to care for the kids...though I was happy to have Aloria back.
The Monday picture day was moved back to Wednesday (AAron called for me) and then to Friday at her request...the day of our first official showing. Ironically, the person to whom the showing was for was from our church. The ironic part is really that he had come by on Sunday (unofficially and just before my breakdown), hearing about our moving from Aaron, to take a look at it...still in its pre-ready boxed up state. We didn't know he was serious about moving and already knew him so I didn't car that he saw the house in transition. Even more ironically, we are already under contract with him. He viewed it on a Sunday and we signed the papers the very next Sunday (almost exactly what happened when we bought this place). Not that all of this cleaning and stressing was for nothing...but really, now! ...and did you catch that last part...WE'RE SOLD ALREADY!!! ...first official day on the market, first official showing. I have no doubt that this is what the Lord wants for us! It's a total blessing for him as well...he will rent out his house, and with what he will make there will be able to pay almost the entire mortgage here (his half, anyway)! I'm so happy that we were able to help him into this situation. It'll be just him and his dog...wich will go well with our current tenant, who is also just himself and his dog. It'll be a regular bachelor pad :-)

P.S. to all of that is that Aaron and I are feeling closer then ever and are finally able to take a breath and enjoy one another without barking orders at each other to clean this or that. :-) Sometimes it's easy to forget you're on the same side...but he proved that to me with all of his help through this difficult time, and his loving care for me has indeared him to me all the more...as if that were possible, for me to love this man anymore then I do :-)

Meanwhile, we are still currently waiting to hear about a job position in Yuma for Aaron, but I know that if the Lord wants us there, He will provide...it's difficult to wait, but I have faith it will happen in the right timing! We close on the 3rd of Sept. and vacate on the 6th. Meanwhile, since the house and yard are spotless, I have very little to do. In fact, besides cleaning up after myself, I have almost nothing to do...which is just glorious! So I have been focusing on napping, icing and heating my neck muscles, hoping that it will decide not to hurt anymore one of these days (it's been going out because of all of the stress I've been under...it hurts to turn it, etc...), playing with Aloria, and reading. I just read The Great Gatsby for the first time. The wording in it is lovely! Really, elaborately picturesque and geniusly put without being wordy. The story itself, is rather depressing, but I'm glad I read it. Another one I read a long time ago reminds me of the feel of it...The Judus Tree. They both have a sort of "desperate grasp at nothingness" to them...the main character in the Judus Tree starts from bottom, having what he wants, but takes it for granted. He then strives for greatness, attains what he thinks he wants, only to find he's lost it all while gaining everything, which now means nothing to him. Gatsby differs only in that while he had nothing, he lied about it to keep what he wanted, but because of it lost it and then spent the rest of his life attaining greatness to get it back...only to lose it in the end while trying to gain back the past. They sound depressing, don't they... but like I said, it was a beautiful read...the imagery was just fantastic. eg. "For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face; her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened--then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk."

An intervention...

2008-07-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure some of you were wondering what happened to days #2 and 3 of the yard sale...something came up, and ...well knocked me down, I suppose you could say.

Day #2 went well, though...I will say that first. A couple from Main, visiting their mom stopped by and spent around $450 dollars...on stuff that wasn't really even out there. They turned out to be Christians and....and you know what?! I need to be off of the computer right now.

Yesterday I had a break down/panic attack/fell into a depression or realized I was in one...perhaps all of the above. I'm really not well yet. I had to send Aloria away, though she will be back later today. Lots of people came to help me...Aaron was amazing, but I need to be recouping, not typing. I'll write later!

Yard sale: day 1

2008-07-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

It is truly an amazing thing to have a yard sale...or any kind of a sale at all where you are trying to get rid of a ridiculous amount of things that you have aquired over time. First of all, I thought, how did we get so much junk? Secondly, how in the world did we fit all of this junk in our house a couple of days ago? Thirdly, I sure hope other people want this stuff, because I never want to see it again, and I hereby promise myself never to aquire this much pointless stuff again!

Actually, some of the things now sitting out in the front of our house make me nostaulgic (sp), and were, I will admit, somewhat difficult to part with...but I always feel so cleansed after I give up any sizeable, decent amount of anything, that I think it balances out. ...and really, I won't remember half of what is out there after it is gone.

My house is still a pig sty (I've been doing insane amounts of packing)...but now that everything we're going to sell is outside, it is considerably less of one, and for that, I am so greatful! Ed and Rhonda and family came over this afternoon...along with their own treasures they are hoping to sell, and stayed for lunch ...and for as long a time as we could squeeze out of Aloria and Caleb before it became absolutely apparent that they "needed" their naps. The kids had a good time, exploring the tables of "stuff" and playing around the yard. We've only had a couple of drive by's and one old lady who bought anything, but enjoyed spending time with friends, despite the days lack of productivity. It's still a work day afterall, and we're hoping that with a few signs further down the road and the coming weekend, we will get more traffic through here.

Anyway, Aaron went to get the signs, and both kids are sleeping so now is the perfect time to get the house clean if there ever was one... unfortunatley, it is also the perfect time for sleeping (as the kids are demonstrating so nicely)... what will I do?

Also, we heard thunder earlier and felt a few drops...the sun is out now, but please pray for no rain...or at least that our tarps are not as holy as we try to be. bahaha!

When it rains, it pours in Yuma, Arizona...

2008-07-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is a day that is supposed to mark a day of independence for our country... and so I suppose that it was a good day for marking the independence of our family, as well. I can't say what happened, exactly...it just sort of did. I think it was a combination of things... Andrew and Anne coming for a surprise visit with our beautiful niece, Lydia, knowing my parents were going to Cali for the weekend for my Grandfather's birthday (on the 4th) and wishing I could just pick up and go too, missing my parents, wanting a good job opportunity for Aaron and knowing we weren't getting anywhere here...all of that. Anne and Andrew surprised us the evening of the 3rd. That night, I leaned over to Aaron and bed and spilled out a bunch of "wouldn't it be nice" to live close to his brother, to watch Lydia grow, to be able to visit the beach, etc... Aaron looked at me and said, "so are you saying you want to move to Yuma, now?" "Yes, I guess I am." "Me too." "What?! Since when?" "Since your parents came for a visit." ...blah blah blah...and on the conversation went, and it hasn't stopped since. It's as if the Lord finally pulled back the curtain to let us know what direction to take. It felt so good to have peace about this, to be on the same page with Aaron, and to be excited about a new chapter in our lives together.
So, that was the 4th...we talked with a realitor, and our home will officially be on the market as of the 21st. In the mean time, I am busy boxing up anything and everything we don't really need until we move so that the house looks larger and emptier for walk thru's, and also setting aside as much stuff as we don't need for a yard sale (we advertised in the paper), so as to get rid of superfluous items. We are selling our tv, entertainment center, desk, book shelf, random kitchen items...my car, Alice (yes, she is still around, though not exactly running as she has been sitting around for over two years), and eventually our truck.
We will be living with my parents until we find a house and/or wait for this one to sell...it's a real buyers market over there, and we want to get in on it before it's too late. Aaron already has a real good lead on a job over there, and hopefully will get an interview soon (in which case he will drive over and possibly stay until I join him...which won't be for long, as we were planning on leaving in September. My parents were coming up anyway to go four wheeling with their "rhino" and so we thought that would be a good time to car pool back with them with a moving van, etc...
Our house will be on the market in a week, as I said, but if it doesn't sell by the time we leave, we are going to hire a management company to rent out our side so that it will be paying for itself while we are gone....one of the many perks of owning a duplex! It may not be a great sellers market, but it is a great renters market!!! We thought of just keeping the duplex as an investment, but decided against it for reasons we went over so many times (weighing and reweighing the pros and cons) that now, I don't exactly remember why...but I do know that we decided against it, and that I recall there be good reasons for the decision we made. Everything is happening so fast!
Telling Marlene and Larry was, not at all, easy for me to do. They knew that Aaron was looking for work and that it could possibly mean us moving wherever her found it...but it's still very difficult for them to see both of their grandchildren go, especially when one just arrived. ...but they have both been very supportive and even came over today to help us clean up the yard and haul off several truck loads of junk, that was of course all meant for "projects" that I am so glad we no longer have to get done...let someone else put in landscaping! I can still tell that they are sad by the random comments they make about missing the kids, and so I made sure that I told Marlene, today, that my excitement in moving there, in no way means that I am excited to leave them. In fact, it will be extremely difficult to do... not to mention leaving all of the other friends we have made here. It never felt like that many, until I started to think about the people I would miss. It really puts things into perspective...God has really blessed us here! I know Aloria would miss Caleb terribly, if she were old enough to know better...as it is, I think I will miss him more and am sad that she probably won't remember him much at all if we don't come back for visits.
It really does hurt me to pull Aloria away from Marlene...for her not to remember just how much she loves her Grammy. ...how she screams and jumps up and down whenever she sees her car pull up, or her face in the window. ...how her favorite thing to do with her is to play blocks, go on walks with the dogs on her property, and watch the train go by. I can't help but wonder how much she will remember once we move away. Usually, you can't recall much, earlier then age 3 or 4...so all of her more permenant memories will be built someplace else, and that makes me sad because this is where her life began...and most of my most cherished memories of watching her grow took place. I could cry just talking about it. Man, I love this house, and our life here... Good thing I've blogged so many pictures. I will show them to our kids often as they grow, so that they know what a blessed beginning they had here!

Pretty pretty

2008-06-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

There is a house behind our fence and across the street that raises Pionese (totally butchered the spelling) flowers. They have already
been harvested, but were beautiful while they lasted!

A little weeding goes a long way

2008-06-07T16:05:00.000-07:00

The other day, I took Aloria outside to play at about 8:30am... It was gorgeous outside; really, the perfect temperature. She took me straight to Aaron's strawberry patch (seen to the left of the sidewalk), where she started searching for strawberries to eat. Evidently, Aaron had already taught her to only pick the red ones. They're really tiny, but are sooo good and perfectly sweet, by the way! Anyway, I noticed that there were a lot of weeds growing in the patch, and although, I normally stay far away from planting things, let alone weeding things...I thought Aaron would appreciate it if I weeded the area for him. This led to weeding the area to the right of the sidewalk, and all around our back porch.
Aaron was surprised and impressed! ...and so this morning we headed outside again with Aloria. We ended up clearning the area fully to the right of the sidewalk and laying down and cutting the rugs to size (the many rug pieces we have laying randomly around our backyard, set aside for just such an occasion) to keep down the weeds.
Aaron then decided to go get a truck bed of gravel, and there you go...a little weeding goes a long way. We have been planning on this type of landscaping for a long time. We still have the rest of the edge of the yard to go (just keeping a rectangle of grass in the middle), but it's a good start and looks really great!
So excited!
P.S. The cinder blocks are just to keep the gravel in for now...not a permenant feature :-)

Snickers and soda

2008-06-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

About 4 weeks ago, just before Aaron graduated, I realized that ...Aaron was graduating! Which, meant that his GI bill would end too, and so would the majority of our income to continue to pay our bills...and there was no way unemployment would cover any of that! Well, after 4 months of not stressing, and watching the Lord's blessings rolling in, I started to stress again. I was at the grocery store thinking about this...and I knew it was wrong! After all this time of experiencing the Lord's care, how could I possibly doubt Him now. He would provide! So I reached into my pocket for my dollar or so in change, and bought two snickers bars and a 25 cent soda in the machine outside the store and brought them home to Aaron. "Lets celebrate!" I declared! Aaron asked me what for...I took a deep breath, forcing myself to believe what I was saying, and told him that we were celebrating what the Lord was going to do through our poverty :-) ...and our faith is never misplaced when it is placed in the Lord. Just before school ended, Aaron crossed the street (literally across the street) to a new subdivision being put up and asked a construction crew if they needed any extra framers. They said that they would call him in a couple of days if they did...and two days later, right after church, they called and hired him. Now, Aaron leaves the house five minutes before he has to be there and crosses the street to work and comes home to spend lunch with us!!! How amazing is that?!?!?! I just wanted to let all of you know that I am thankful for your thoughts and prayers in our direction concerning Aaron finding a job :-) This, of course, is not the job he is hoping to continue in for long...especially, not after just obtaining his degree, but it is an answer to prayer and paycheck until he finds what it is the Lord has for him in the long term. Never doubt what the Lord will do...never!!!!

Drum roll please!

2008-05-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the graduation of
Aaron Lawrence Knizley

Mesa State College
"Class of 2008"

May 17, 2008

It's been an uphill climb, but the view is worth it!

Husband, father, provider, and student...
Aaron has worked diligently for the last four and a half years to gain his BA in Political Science, while ever being a constant and joyful source of companionship to me, an always participating father to our daughter, Aloria, a faithful provider, our spiritual leader, and a diligent student. Aaron is in all ways my hero, and I couldn't be more proud of the man I married!

May 17th finally arrived...and so did my familia!!! ...best friend, Beth, included!
I was only in the bleachers for a short time, myself...it was pretty uncomfortable, so I bolted the first chance I got...first to the bathroom :-) and then to wait with the other picture takers, for a chance to get that first shot of our loved ones coming off of the podium, diploma in hand!

Sharing is caring!

2008-05-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

I think that I got a really great picture of Aaron! We've been waiting for this day for so long, that it's hard to believe that it has already come and gone so quickly.

After I got the picture of Aaron, he filed back into his seat, and I realized that I still had a while to wait...and I couldn't stand the thought of going back to the bleachers...or just standing around in the sun, so I went back to where my parents and Beth were sitting and made the universally understood Golden Arches sign...and then proceeded to walk across the street (you'll notice we could still see the graduates from there) to get some breakfast.

We ate outside, so we could see when the balloons went up and we could hear the loud speaker announce its thing...so we headed back...just intime to find Aaron on the field, and with just enough egg mcmuffin left to offer him, that he wasn't a bit mad we left :-)

One for the scrap book!

2008-05-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Jeremy, Aaron's youngest brother, graduated just behind him in line...it was great day for them both!

cont...

2008-05-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Finally!

2008-04-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

Early Anniversary

2008-04-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I already mentioned this or not, but because our wedding anniversary isn't until July...after the baby is born, we decided to take an early one.
Aaron heard about a Passover Sader being done in Ridgeway (2 hours away), and thought that since it was only about 15 minutes from Ouray (the Switzerland of Colorado), we could go to the dinner and then stay at a Bed and Breakfast overnight. Ouray is famous for things like, skiing, mountains, waterfalls, natural hotsprings...things like that.
So, we Saturday afternoon we left Aloria with Ed and Rhonda to stay overnight, since Marlene was working...it was more difficult for me to do then I thought it would be. I haven't left her overnight with anyone before.
We then left home and drove up passed Ridgeway to Ouay first to check into our B&B...the Christmas House. Sooo cute! Everyroom is decorated like Christmas :-)
...but before we did that, we stopped off at a museum. It was going to close in 30 min. they said, so we only had that long to peruse (and not read much about anything), three floors worth of stuff from the late 1800s and early 1900s...
Here are way too many pictures for you to care about, but still less then all of the pictures I took :-)

2008-04-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

This room was darker then it looks in this picture...and this manican totally startled me...all I could see were his white eyes at first...creepy!

2008-04-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

I didn't know that dynamite had to stay warm!

I thought this was a cool looking waffle iron...

Bed pans and urinals...

The whole room was full of arrowheads...so many different kinds!

2008-04-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

2008-04-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

Where the baby's wer born and put in...

Where the baby's played...

What types of things baby's played with...

Where the baby's were made... haha, just kidding, or perhaps not! Anyway, Aaron had me take a picture of this because of the amazing work done on the head and footboards.

2008-04-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

Cover of a book I thought was funny...

A quilt hanging on the wall...very cool.

An actual cabin donated to the museum and moved on the property. That old man is fake, by the way... he is also not Santa Clause, in case that crossed your mind as well. It's wierd for me to think of your entire home fitting in such a small space...no wonder woman went crazy! ...your whole day beginning and ending in one small room...I can't imagine having kids in there as well. Those women are my heros! Oh, was one more room...there were some stairs to the right of me going up to a loft that was big enough for a bed and a chair or something.

The view outside the museum...the mountains were so close!

The Passover Sader

2008-04-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Passover Sader a good experience, though different then I thought it would be.
When we arrived, we saw at the door that there were security guards checking everyone with metal detector wands, and then we noticed the sign that said, "no weapons of any kind."
Later, we found out that some people had been threatening demonstrations or the life of the guy leading the Sader. ...I suppose that is a big deal for the little town of Ridgeway (ten miles from our B&B in Ouray)...it only has one stop light!

Above, is the tray of...ummm, symbolic foods, if you will...the bitter herbs, boiled egg, piece of lamb (actually chicken), etc... Aaron was disappointed that our wine was sparkling grape juice, but I was glad because then I could take part.

You can't see it, but Aaron was wearing a head covering...similar to a yamaka (sp), but not, because yamakas are only worn for Hannakah, I heard...though, I could be wrong. Anyway, one of the hats was given to Aaron when we checked in for the dinner, as well as a book and song sheets. We had some things to repeat back to the leader during the dinner and we sang, or attempted to sing, songs in both Hebrew and English.

I know that I'm leaving out a lot of the details of the actual ceremony, but in truth, I was a little dissapointed with it all. I thought that the Sader was going to be given from a Christian point of view...it was put on by a Christian church that joined up with the Jews for Jesus for the dinner, or so I heard. But, whether the leader was a Messianic Jew or just a Jew...none of the symbolism was explained in terms of Christ.
Aaron really got a lot out of it though. Talking about what the Jews went through, and how they were all are bound together in one heritage and one suffering...one hope of the future (liberation if you don't believe in Christ...Christ if you do), reminded him of the military and the comraderee that you go through when you are suffering through the same experiences. I understood why he felt the way he did about it, but I still felt like an outside observer...a Christian partaking of a very Jewish experience, not as a Christian learning the true meaning of the Jewish symbolism, as it relates to my Lord...if that makes any sense.

All in all, again, it was a very good experience...and an excellent way to spend a free evening (especially since the whole four hour dinner was free). After dinner we were approached by three homeschooled sisters (8yr old twins and a 10 year old) who felt the need to question me about my due date. It went something like this... them- "Wow, your pregnant...when are you do?" me- "In June." them- "wow, you're really big..." "yeah, you look like you could have the baby at any time!" me- "I know." them- "Is it a boy or a girl?" bla bla bla We found out all sorts of things about them too, like they are from Grand Junction also, they have an older brother and sister and so like 4 nephews and nieces already...and how old they are. Really, they were very sweet girls, and it was an amusing conversation. On the way out of the Community Center, a woman asked Aaron how much longer I had, and then as I commented on how I should just say two more days instead of two more months so that the size of my stomach would make better sense to everyone, another woman approached me. She sort of grabbed my arm in a grandmotherly sort of way and said, "Do you know, I told the lady I was with that you must have a pumpkin under your shirt...you look beautiful." That last comment saved her! Mostly, I don't mind the attention too much, but it does sort of get annoying after a while...especially if they don't add the "you are beautiful" part at the end, haha. Actually, that afternoon, before we left Grand Junction, we stopped to eat lunch at Subway and the guy making our sandwiches noticed my stomach and was like, "Oh my gosh, that is so cute...how far along are you? Wow, hey look at her, isn't that adorable!" He seemed really excited about my stomach for some reason, and not at all embaressed to let me know about it, even in front of Aaron. Aaron didn't mind me getting a compliment though, and since it was given so sincerely, I was okay with it, myself. Too bad I won't get this much attention after Justus comes... the only thing people will have to comment on is how long it takes my stomach to flatten out, and I'm sure that will all be said behind my back :-)

2008-04-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

I don't think that coconut macaroons is an official Passover dessert, but it was pretty, so I thought I'd include the picture.

Our room...

2008-04-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

After the Sader, it was so nice to come back to our cozy little room...the Mistletoe Room

I think that I blended right in with the floral surroundings! When you first walk in our room, there was a day bed to the left (in case of a third person), and to the right a small bathroom and shower...with a small clostraphobicy looking room meant to be the sauna...it was really cool that we had our own sauna, but we never took advantage of it...I didn't want to get that over heated.
Also, to the right and to the left of the bathroom was a vanity. I've decided that I like sitting down to do my hair and make up and will make it a priority to get one in our future house :-)
Then straight ahead and sort of leftish...well, it's me, and couch, and across from that is a gas fire place and a tv that faces the bed. To the right of the couch is the bed and to the right of that was the small alcove in the wall (I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it) where our own private jaquzzi tub was (complete with jets and bath salts). The room had bathrobes for us, and a coffee maker...hot chocolate packets and a microwave. We really needed two nights to take full advantage of every little comfort they provided. ...oh and when we couldn't sleep, they had a programmed radio type thing that played sounds of the ocean, rain forest, or about three other similar type sounds that I forget.
The room was the perfect temperature, so we didn't need the fire place or covers...and downstairs they had a whole cubboard full of dvds to borrow. I watched (Aaron slept) Hairspray, because I've been curious about it, but would never pay money to rent it, myself.

The best breakfast ever!!!

2008-04-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

When we first arrived at the Christmas house, we filled some paperwork...and in that paperwork was a menu of breakfast and time options. We chose a nine o'clock breakfast and an omlet with strawberry covered french toast! Evidently, we were the only ones staying there who picked the nine o'clock time, so we had the dining room to ourselves. It was so entirely cozy and warm feeling! The table was set just for us, and there were small boals of yogurt mixed with fresh banana's and strawberries for us on our plates.

I had checked on the menu that I wanted milk, orange juice and hot chocolate...I couldn't decide on just one. All was there for me! The hot water in a little tea pot and my juice an milk in glass goblets. I've decided that any beverage tastes better in a goblet!

The breakfast was soooo good!!! ...and believe me, Aaron is a breakfast lover, but got full half way through. That never happens! He still managed to eat everything but one waffle piece... I ordered the half plate and still couldn't finish my omlet.
Over all, it was such an amazing, romantic...thoroughly comfortable ...trying to think of another word...ahhh, picturesque breakfast, and totally worth the extra money you put into a place like this. The owners served us, and we found they were Christians :-) They have run the Christmas House for ten years, but are trying to sell it now. The selling market isn't so great right now, but please pray for them that the right person comes along and that the Lord blesses them in all these things in His perfect timing!

Trying to get to Box Canyon Falls

2008-04-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

As if hiking anywhere for any length of time at a higher elevation, while pregnant and having braxton hicks (sp), wasn't difficult enough... there was snow! I was proud of myself for getting as far as we did (up a hill :-) , but then there was this random snow...that was in a drift along the trail higher then the fence...with a giant canyon to fall into if you slipped. Needless to say, we stopped and trecked elsewhere to Cascade falls.

We did manage some pretty pictures on the way back down the "hill," which was good, especially after all that labored walking. ...and for certain, I was sad not to make it to our first destination...

2008-04-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

...but we found something to do instead!

Cascade Falls

2008-04-21T15:15:00.001-07:00

This is me clinging to Aaron for support as we made the short hike back to the car across icy covered snow...I pretty much just stepped wherever he stepped, and avoided where he slipped :-) It wasn't really that bad, but I could have slipped and that could have been bad, so I held his hand or arm wherever we walked, and I don't know how to explain it...but I just felt so loved and cared for the whole time I had to rely on him for support. It was romantic in a way I can't quite put into words :-)
In fact, I don't think we could have had a more romantic or meaningful anniversary. The one night felt longer then it was, and we really just had an amazing time away from our projects and messy house...enjoying each others company!
Three years has gone by so fast, and yet it feels like we've been married for so much longer...in a good way:-) Aaron makes being married easy. I couldn't ask for a better life then the one I get to share with him:-) ...and I thank the Lord for that!

While the parents were out...

2008-04-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

While Aaron and I were away for our early anniversary night in Ouray, Aloria stayed with Caleb. I had never left her overnight before with anyone, besides maybe Grammy...so I kept worrying that she'd call for me or not go to bed well...or be confused when she woke up in the morning. Evidently, she was fine...and to all of your about to be mothers out there, I think we miss them way more then they miss us... Sure they may cry and cling to you at the door because they don't want you to leave, but the moment you are out of sight, they make the most of it...and make the most of it she did!

Ed and Rhonda took some pics for us...Ed took them out to fly a kite, and said that despite the wind and not being able to get the kite to stay up for long, the kids had a great time chasing it and getting tangled in the tail, which was their favorite part.

Aloria also got to spend the day with Caleb's two cousins...so she didn't have much time to feel lonely. In fact, Rhonda said she did great...was able to be comforted by either her or Ed and didn't have any major tantrums, crying fits, etc... Moral of the story: worry less, stay out more :-) haha

You're invited!

2008-04-21T14:40:00.001-07:00

While at Marlene's (we are home now), I finally got around to making the invitations for Justus' baby shower. Marlene is throwing one for me at her house, and we could have just bought the invites, but I haven't had the chance to be crafty in a while, so I decided to make them myself.
I will put the info up on Justus' site...I am registered online at Target.

All done!...ish

2008-04-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

The floor is done...and has been done since last Tuesday. We spread out our new area rug to see what it would look like, though we can't leave it down until tomorrow because the top floor seal had to harden, or something, for seven days. Anywho...I know our rug is really bold. When we first saw it, we were like, wow that's really ...well, it's really something, but we couldn't stop looking at it, and it has all of the colors of our living room/computer room. So, we are super excited about it :-) I'm still having trouble deciding on how we are going to arrange the furnature, but once I am satisfied with how it looks, I will put a picture up.

This is the carpet remnant that we got for the computer room...it's burber with a square design in it...only $60. Sweet....but our tax money has run out :-) ...super fun while it lasted...and so we will be waiting a little longer for all of the finishing touches. Left to do: purchase carpet pad and install new rug, get floor molding for the living room...and a new ceiling fan (ours broke and summer's on its way). Also, I need to repaint all of the trim white. I never repainted that when we moved here and its old and needs a new coat to really look nice...but that's just because I want to, and not because I have to.

Progress

2008-04-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

It seems like this project has been going of for much longer then I'm sure it actually has, but we are making progress, and all in all I am very pleased with the results. Instead of being frustrated at how slow the sanding machine is taking off the glue layer over the wood, Aaron decided to buy a scraper and scrape it off himself. As seen from the photo above, it makes a huge difference... It's a lot of hard work!!! ...and I was very proud of him, especially when I tried to do some, myself, to help out, and it took me 2 hours to do what he did in five minutes.

Once done, we went over it again the three necessary times with the sander to finish up the job. Then while he was at school, I spent an afternoon filling in all of the necessary spots with wood filler, of which there were many.

...and as you can see from this bottom picture...for some odd reason!, not all of the "stainable" wood filler we'd been using decided to accept the stain. It was bizzarre and frustrating, but Aaron has touched it up some since this picture and it is betterish. The way we have chosen to look at it is that we have an antiqued floor...and antiques aren't perfect. So, meh! I still think I will like the end result, and we are both excited for this "little" project to be done. Another exciting factor, is that we found and bought the area rug we will be using for the living room, and I think we have found a remnant carpet piece to fit in the adjacent computer/entry (going to be play room) for an amazing price. I think we will be getting that today, and setting it aside to get installed when the living room is done and we can get the furnature back in. So yeah!!! Very exciting!

"All done!"

2008-04-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

Let me just say that putting Aloria's room back together was no easy task for me. I wanted to set it up with the crib for the baby as well as a separate bed for Aloria so I wouldn't have to worry about how everything would fit together later. That, and we are having some friends of Aaron's come and stay with us a night in August and they are bringing their two toddlers with them (1 and 3), so we will need the extra bed, along with our pack and play anyway. Also, the crib is very useful for storing all the baby stuff that I have but can't use yet...bouncers, clothes, blankets, and what nots.

I was very excited because we were able to get two new things for Aloria's room to help make it perfect!!! We got an amazing floor rug at Target which matches all of the colors we already had on the walls, and a toddler bed because we decided an average size twin bed was just too big for such a small room. Aloria loves her new bed, and even after sleeping in our room in the pack and play for over a week, had no problems adjusting to being in her own room again...aaand, didn't get up even once for anything. I felt certain she would want to be back in our room with us. "I am happy to be wrong." :-)
Once Justus actually moves in with Aloria, I will be replacing the bookcase in the corner with our rocker, but until then...having the books in her room is nice, especially since we read together every night before bed :-) Good times!

On the bookcase is a birthday bouquet from my parents. They had it delivered to our house...isn't that so awsome!!! 28, and I still get flowers from my parents! I felt so special :-)

The only way (after trying, what felt like, a million) I liked the room put together at all!!! was to put the crib in the closet. It fit perfectly! Sure, that means I can't use the bar for hanging clothes on, or the shelves to the right, behind the wall that you can't see for anything I actually need to use...but I have worked around it. The shelves are for storage that I don't need to get to, and I hung Aloria's dresses on her hamper rack with her shoes and socks (as seen below). True, now I need a hamper...but I am excited to look for one of those cute tall baskety ones. I intend on putting it in the corner behind where I'm standing.
P.S. I don't know if you recognize it, but the curtains hanging over the crib is the shower curtain that we had hanging in our Pendleton bathroom...at least, I think I had it hanging there. Perhaps it was somewhere else...either way, it's a shower curtain...and it's cute :-)

Days #3 & 4

2008-04-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

I think it was Monday evening that Aaron layed down the stain...it was really fun to watch the transformation! ...and although, there are problem areas that still show up...such as this...because of all the wood filler that we had to use, over all it looks like...

...this! Ta da!

Turns out the smell of wood stain is really really strong! ...we were able to stay in our room that night because the smell had sort of stayed out of that end of the house, but as soon as we opened the bedroom door, it was clear we had to get Aloria (and me, for that matter, somewhere else. We called Marlene and Aaron took Aloria over there first thing after breakfast. We slept there Tuesday night (lastnight), while Aaron went back to the house to put on the clear top coat. The end of something can be so exciting...if only it were actually the end. Turns out we need to lay down three coats of the top coat and each coat has to dry for 4-6 hours. So, we are here right now, while Aloria is napping at Marlene's. Aaron is getting ready to lay down the second coat (hoping to come back tonight to lay down the third coat), only it takes a fairly lengthy amount of time because you are supposed to sand over the floor inbetween each coat (in case of bubbles)....and then, we can't put any furnature down on the floor for 36 hours after the last coat to let it get really hard. 36 hrs!!! At least once the smell is significanly gone we can come back home, and just shut Aloria's door for three days so that she doesn't go in there. ...buuuut, keep in mind we have not finished...ahhh finishing...the living room floor. We can't exactly avoid the living room since it is in the middle of the house. We'll have to move out for like three to six days depending on how long it takes to stain and lay down the top coats for that one, due to smell, plus waiting time. Oh my gosh!!! This project all of a sudden seems such a monumental task! haha, oh well...it will look amazing in the end and it will all be worth it. And anyway, it is much better that we started it now then after Justus is born...that would be crazy!

Day #2

2008-03-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

We didn't get to bed to about midnight thirty Saturday night (and me not until 2am because I was blogging the pictures, checking email, etc...). I had to get up early for church because I was on the worship team, so Aloria and I left while Aaron stayed behind to finish sanding the living room (had to return the sander by 10:45). He did end up making it to second service though... I saw him from on stage, sitting down in his grubbies. It made me smile that he still came!

Anyway, the most exciting thing that happened that afternoon (besides sanding the edges of Aloria's room) was building Aloria her first fort and watching Uncle Jeremy read her some books :-)

It started one morning when Aloria crawled into bed with us; Aaron and I held the sheets up with our feet and hands to make a fort under the covers and Aloria thought it was the coolest thing. So, yesterday, when Aloria asked to get into our bed she tried to get under the covers and lift them up herself, I figured a real fort was in order...one where my arms and legs wouldn't get tired :-) She played in it on and off all day. So cute :-)

Making Progress

2008-03-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

The wood boards in the living room are very tight together, but in Aloria's room, there is a small gap inbetween every one, so we broke out the wood filler (the excess will be sanded off). That was lastnight...today, Aaron will go and rent the sander again after school, as well as the stain. I'm so excited!

So, yesterday we focused on getting Aloria's room ready to finish... I can take the living room being empty, but am anxious to get Aloria (and her stuff) back in her room.

...and so it begins!

2008-03-29T23:45:00.000-07:00

The Lord has provided us with the means to start our floor project, so lastnight after Aloria went to bed, we decided to take the living room apart. Aaron moved the couch and tv into the entry way by the front door and took most everything else to the basement. We put plastic over the bookcases to keep down on dust and also on the doorways to the other rooms.

We rolled up the carpet and carpet pad and took it out for good...it's the point of no return now!

The living room was completely bare by the time we were through, and poor Aloria didn't have a clue...I just hoped that she wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night to come to us and think we moved out or something :-) Well, she did wake up, but it didn't seem to bother her. Neither did the next days events...she must thrive on chaos.

All done, and so we decided to watch an episode of Upstairs Downstairs (British minie series I rent from the library) before bed. Tomorrow would be a long day!

2008-03-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

Early this morning Aaron had to go to a church meeting before going to pick up the sander from Lowe's, and so I ws in charge of emptying out Aloria's room...but where to put everything?!

Move kitchen table in kitchen...check!
Put Aloria's changing table in our bedroom and squish in the pack and play because I had to take apart her crib to fit in the basement (and out of her bedroom door). Good thing the pack and play is low because there is only enough room for my legs to get by and my stomach to fit over it!

Put Aloria's mattress on the floor in the computer room along with other various books and toys, so she still has some stuff to play with...who knew we even had this much room to stuff ...stuff!

"The machine"

2008-03-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

So here was our constant companion for all of today...it wasn't much louder then a shop vac, but that's still pretty loud.

First time going over just took the cardboard layer off the top...right half done.

Eventually, we started to see some progress...

2008-03-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

Usually, having so many things out of place and disorderly makes me stress out and stop functioning properly...but today, not so much. Despite the mess, I made lasagna and an apple pie...go figure!

The weather was so glorious today that we left the back door open and let the breeze in while Aloria had fun with Playdoh and buttons...

At the end of the day...

2008-03-29T23:19:00.001-07:00

Towards the end of the day, Aloria had her bath and was winding down, and so I gave Aaron a little break.

A Bambi break to be exact...nothing like Bambi and a little apple pie with his favorite girl.

At about 12:00 am our tenant came home, so we put the loud noise to rest and decided to head for bed. To the right of the above picture you can see our second going over with "the machine" in the living room. It doesn't seem like much, and it's almost depressing if it weren't for the progress we made in Aloria's room :-) Not too bad for day 1!

Before...

2008-03-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sometime last month, I mentioned that I wanted a stool for Aloria, and so Aaron decided he wanted to make it, himself. He looked up a template online and then just...built it :-) He didn't use any nails...it's called mortise and tenon. He chisled out all of the shapes by hand (except the big pieces themselves) and wood glued it together so it wouldn't come apart. Technically, I think the pieces are supposed to fit so snugly that you don't need glue...but it was his first time. We just stained it yesterday, and it turned out so great!

...and after!

2008-03-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

All in a nights work!

2008-03-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

Conquoring the world is hard work, but give me 4 1/2 hrs and 35 troops and I'll do it!

Don't be sad boys...at least you have each other. Well, only for another minute...Jeremy, your laundry is done, hit the road!

What? I'm just as shocked as you, I can barely keep my gum in my mouth! Who knew a former marine and his computer nerd brother couldn't hold out against a couple of pregnant troops?!?!

"Next time, Venessa...next time!!!!"

Home Builders

2008-03-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

Home builders is a group started at our church by one of the mothers...I think it was Kelly, and so for a lack of knowing for sure, I will say it was her (mom in the picture below). She organizes one date night and one outing a month. Date night is really an igenious (pretty sure I spelled that wrong) thing. Two sets of parents are assigned baby sitting duty at the church while all of the other parents can drop off their kids between 5 and 8pm, for example, and go on a date. It's a great way to get out, and you are always assured a turn, as the sitters and daters are always switched around.

This month we went sledding at Old Powder Horn. The sun was out, but it was way toooo windy, so everyone was bundled up...including, one of Kelly's two daughters, Ava. I thought this picture was sooo cute. She wasn't as interested in sledding as she was in eating the snow. She's probably six months older then Aloria and seems to like her better then Aloria gets along with her. Aloria still acts a little timid around other toddlers who are not Caleb, haha. I'm hoping to set up a play date with Kelly so that Aloria can expand her circle of friends :-)

Ava feeding Aloria after sledding, as all the kids huddled in the back of the mini van to escape the wind.

The Homebuilders has really ment a lot to me...it's been one of the only outlets for me, in terms of adult interaction, but there is a "but..." Aaron and I are the second to the youngest couple participating, and although I get along with all the other moms and am closer to some then others...I still have yet to find the same comraderee that comes from years of friendship and shared experiences. I know that takes time, but sometimes I still get those "lonely in the midst of a crowd" type feelings. It feels as though those relationships were left behind in Portland with all of you, and with our decision to stay in CO, my heart aches even more for what I haven't found here. Just one more of those things I get to cast at the feet of the Lord...He's answered my calls for friendship before. I will ask again :-) Please keep me in prayer about it...you all have meant so much more to me then you will ever know, and I regret no longer being able to participate in your lives. ...but in my heart and mind's eye, I visit you often.

Oh for cute!

2008-02-25T20:01:00.000-08:00

Aaron's parents gave up their tickets for the church dinner so that we could go in their place...we had a really great time. Small blessings mean so much! ...I guess they're not really that small then :-)

2008-02-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

We pulled up the carpet in front of the kitchen because it was its turn to be done :-) ...and found so much dirt I thought it was a cardboard layer at first, until Aaron brushed it aside. Thought you'd need to see it to believe it. The orange stick has the same design on it the pink one does, only it's completely burried. So nasty!

Waste not, want not!

2008-02-19T22:58:00.000-08:00

In the midst of our getting rid of things we don't need, Aaron dug up his military wear. He had a bunch of cami's that he sold back to a military surplus store, his dress blues he wore when we got married (which he will be keeping), and he also had some dress/service trousers that he didn't feel as comfortable getting rid of...yet he didn't like just storing them. So he asked if I would help him make them into a quilt for camping. A friend from church helped me cut the squares (I don't have the proper tools), and after Aaron laid out the pattern (and helped with the ironing of seems, etc) ...we now have the top for a very cool quilt. Actually, it will be a very warm quilt because the material is mostly wool :-) To make it bigger (to fit the two of us), we are going to add another border and then we still have to get some material for the back...I'll post a picture later when it's all done. Probably not for a little while, but at least we got this far.

Time for another project!

2008-02-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

Aaron was really getting used to all this staying home stuff. He definately liked sleeping in and spending more time with us...but it was about day 30 of being unemployed when he walked in the room looking rather down, and stated it had been a month since he had worked. He was finally getting ansy...and I don't rememeber if it was that day or a day or two later when I woke up from my nap on the couch to him pulling up a corner of the living room carpet, saying, "you know, I think there is wood flooring underneath this carpet." He really loves keeping busy, and so with a renewed sense of purpose, we began sectionally taking up the carpet, pulling up the layer of lanolium tiles, and then replacing everything and then moving on to another section. So pretty much, three fourths of our living room is done under the carpet, and when Aaron starts working again, we will rent one of those huge industrial type sanders, seal the floor, and have great looking wood floors by April or May. I'm so excited!

This is what hides underneath carpet pads...lots and lots of DIRT! I think that removing our carpet my help my allergies this year.

2008-02-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

...and all that dirt hiding some pretty disgusting looking tile. It's grey with, what looks like, permenant marker highlights...bleh!

It was hard work...

but we had lots of help :-)

The perfect day

2008-02-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

What kind of Valentine's Day can you have on a budget? A perfect one!
The morning started out with a strawberry omelet that we made together...a tradition started by Aaron our first Valentine's Day in this house. He found the recipe in a cookbook...sounds wierd, but is so awsome!!!
After breakfast Aaron went out with his dad on a job (he has his own duct cleaning business) and earned some money helping him out (yeah for blessings!), while Aloria and I stayed home and made him a Valentine's day card.
Later, Poppy (what Aloria calls grandpa) stayed at the house while Aloria slept and we went out for a late lunch to a little Mexican restaurant just up the street that we had never been to before. It was sooooo good!
Followed by much lounging, until Aaron went out and prepared the secret evening festivities that he had planned for me...and he returned with a talking card for Aloria, which she loved.

We then left the house around 7pm and dropped Aloria off at Grammy and Poppy's house to eat...then we got in our warmest and started down the railroad tracks (on their property) to the Wickeeup Aaron had built when he was a kid. He led the way with the candle lantern he had made when we were in our first apartment, which was so fun. The wickeeup is sort of hidden up against the cliff ...the tracks running behind it. So cool, especially when the train came by...lights cutting through the darkness! Wish I got a picture of that.

It is sentimental for us because we had gone there a couple of times when we were dating, but really not since. It was pretty cold out, but he brought something for me to sit on. He told me to reach underneath the straw I was sitting on, and there was a plastic bag with hot cocoa mix and a heart full of chocolates. There were so many fun surprises :-) So I made the hot chocolate in his Jet Boil (boils water in 30 sec.) while he started the fire.

2008-02-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

We cuddled by the fire and drank hot chocolate....

I don't know if you can tell (taken with and without flash), but Aaron had shaped the fire into a heart...sooo sweet!
I

...and ate hot dogs on a stick wrapped in corn tortillas. Then just before we left he remember that he had declared his love for me on paper...in Spanish, haha. He had his Spanish teacher translate a bunch of romantical type phrases for him, so he could read them to me. Of course he had to tell me what they meant...but it was lots of fun.

It was the perfect day!

2008-02-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERBODY!

Intrusion!

2008-02-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

I have been updating Aloria's blog with her new bed progress, but this applies more to us then her. She has been showing up in our room several times during the night...I haven't been as dilligent as I should be at putting her back in bed, that is for sure. I keep letting her in bed with us to sleep because by the 4am visit, I am just too tired to walk her back to her room. Has anyone already delt with this...Gwen, you'll have to update me on Dahlia's progress with a big girl bed. The first night Aloria didn't do too well, the second night she did great until about 6:30am, when she wandered in...this wouldn't have been a problem, except mommy and daddy were having some "alone" time. We had just started the after cuddling when we heard, "momma." ...and there she was by the bed staring at us. How long has she been there???!!!! It was sooooo awqward!!! I know she doesn't know, nor understand anything yet, even if she had been there for a while, but one still likes to know if there is an audience around. Geesh! Time to shut the door, I guess. It doesn't sound like such a big deal, but it's just one more of those freedoms that you enjoy with your spouse that you have to make accomidations for because of your children. Think about it. I will never be able to not worry about an accidental intrusion again until all our kids move out...that's 16 more years for Aloria...not counting the extra years for the kids that aren't even born yet. No wonder parents go on and on about how much freedom they feel again with each other when the kids move out. Come to think of it, my parents seemed much more cuddly after we left...and any void or emptiness our (mine and my brother's) absence may have left was filled by a yellow lab named Hunter, who could care less whether doors are opened or shut. Here's to being in my 50's!!!

Purging of sorts...

2008-02-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

I am 21 wks...and I'm not sure whether or not it is due to my desire to "nest" (don't actually know when that starts or if it's a real thing) or what have you, but I have been going through the entire house, purging it of anything and everything we don't need or use. We got rid of a couch we hated and a couple bags of clothes...then I did another search, as I cleaned, and I found three more bags of clothes, purses, shoes, baby clothes, etc... to get rid of. I figured that since I am having a boy, I should go through all of Aloria's old clothes and figure out what I actually want to keep and what I can re-buy at a thrift store :-) The Fashion Junkie rocks! One of those bags of clothes, I was happy to be able to give to Rhonda for Katie to use someday. It will be fun to see those memories on her.

The only bad part about purging, is that it usually is accompanied with "re-'s"...whether that be re-decorating (which I actually love doing), re-organizing, re-putting things back after you've torn them from there storage hide aways. So needless to say, my house was a bit messier then when I started for a while, but I'm finally catching up to my mess. I was going to donate everything to Goodwill, but our church sent out an email saying that the youth were having a big yard sale to raise money for a trip or something. Too bad we already got rid of the couch...but I'll give them the rest of my findings, just as soon as I'm done. Hopefully, that will be done today.

As for an update on Aaron's job situation...we have decided to take unemployment for the time being. It doesn't pay much, but after crunching the numbers, it pays more then a part time job...so we'll go with that. ...and maybe we might even get a check someday from them. They've sent back the forms to Aaron twice now. The process takes 3-5 weeks, and I'm not sure if that includes all of the time it takes to needlessly correspond with the because they are so unorganized, or if that is after we send in the paperwork to their "satisfactory." Bleh! Oh well, we'll make it through February with or without them...I won't stress until March. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, maybe not even then. Not because I won't need to, but because all of this non stressing has been so much...well, nonstressful. Letting the Lord handle what He handles best (the care of His people) has given me a peace I can't understand. "A peace that passes all understanding," you might say :-)

...and wise or not, we've had money put aside for insulating our attic...and even though we're tighter now then before, we went ahead and used it for that. It really was important! The highest we've been able to keep our thermostat has been 65...we walk around in sweaters and still fork out money to pay our $220 something electric bill. That's right...seem absurd? That's because it is. We only have around 800 sq ft to heat, but it seems we don't have much, if any, insulation in our walls, and only old single pane glass windows...and no insulation in the attic where, according to Aaron when he was up there, it is warmer then the house because that's where all our heat likes to go. So yeah!!! We now have cellulose insulation in our attic! Aaron put plastic on the window and raised the thermostat because now our heat stays where it is supposed to (Aloria's room is no longer the coldest room in the house...poor kid)...aaaand I have been enjoying a warm house all morning long! The only thing that will now make me happier is to see our next bill go down down down down.

Livin on a prayer...

2008-01-30T15:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, "Livin on prayer!" ...makes me think of Bon Jovi, and more then that...of Justin singing this particular Bon Jovi song :-) ...which of course makes me smile. Anywho, this is now our theme song for the next couple of months. We are officially on unemployment...sort of. Officially starts when I see a check in the mail.

We went to Arizona a week or so ago. Aaron's boss didn't have another house lined up for Aaron to work on, so we packed it up and headed to warmer places where he helped his brother Andrew work on the house he is building (his brother is contracting for himself now...very exciting!) It was a fun filled trip inbetween bouts of sickness. When Anne Marie was up here for Christmas she got sick and by the time she left...she forgot to take it all with her, and I got it. By mid January I developed a sinus infection, but didn't treat it for a while due to muffin bakin in the oven (I try to take as little medicine as possible when pregnant...any time come to think of it)...moving on. By the time we got to Yuma, my mom had just gotten over the flu, but was hanging on to a pretty nasty cough...I was able to see Beth, but only on two short occasions due to the fact that she was getting over the flu, herself (or rather was in the very midst of it). I really did want to avoid getting Aloria sick, but there was still one more friend to see. My good early college days friend, Amy (and her hubby), was in town from New Jersey (she was visiting her own family). I had only seen one of her three kids, and though they had been throwing up and sick themselves, it had been years and years since we'd both been in Yuma at the same time, so I had to see her! I waited two days until her kids were feeling better, but unfortunatley, she was ammuned to what I was not. I went over with Aloria around lunch time and she she made me a sandwich (Aloria had what I brought for her to eat in her diaper bag, thankfully). The next day, or morning, rather, I threw up about four times before 7am....and then spent the rest of the day emptying out every liquid I tried to put down. My poor mom had to stay home from work and completely care for Aloria (thought, I'm sure she didn't actually mind that part since she rarely gets to see her). I didn't eat any actual food (toast) until 6pm, and luckily from then on, I was fine. The next day, though, my dad had his turn with the same thing. I kept praying I wouldn't get anyone else sick. I wouldn't let Aaron use the same bathroom as me or sink as me...I disinfected light switches, faucets...everything, and wouldn't make any of the food Aloria would eat. I think I must have touched her pacifier once or twice though without thinking. The night before we were going to head back to Las Vegas, she developed a fever and threw up. Poor Aaron handed me everything I needed but refused to touch her or anything else she may or may not have thrown up on. Keep in mind, he'd been trying to stay well to drive us back, and so we already hadn't even kissed or held hands for about a week! Well, didn't leave at the butt crack of dawn like we had planned, but Aloria held down all of her breakfast so we left at noon. We made it to Las Vegas, but she threw up once again in the pack and play (and on her favorite bear...bleh) that night too, but slept the rest of the night through with me, while Aaron moved to the couch down stairs...so we still left at 5:00am as planned. This was a Monday, and I had my ultrasound appointment in Grand Junction at 3:30pm that we had to get to. We drove straight to the doctor's office and were in the waiting room by 3:15pm...tired and in need of showers (Aloria and her bear, especially, who just got a wipe down...). We were shown to our room, and while I went to go pee in a cup the Dr. came and went ...to deliver someone elses baby at the hospital, and just like that, our appointment was canceled. So much driving...so much rushing, despite sickness, to get home for this very appointment. I ended up seeing a nurse by myself the next morning at 7:30am...all of that written in "Muffin's" blog, so I won't repeat.
Well, we were home...safe and sound anyway. We found out we were having a boy (very exciting), and also that Aaron's boss didn't have any work for him still. He told him to file for unemployment until spring...what the heck does that mean!? March? April?
To tell you the truth, I feel that I should be worried, since Aaron's part time work is what pays for our mortgage and gas...and misc, but I'm not. Sooo, unemployment is about half of what he gets paid normally...meh! So we cut out the misc, and I stop going places (less gas)...I think we will be okay for a month or two. We'll be tighter then ever before, which should totally worry me since every other month stresses me out, but I think the Lord must have been preparing my heart. ...He has already shown His faithfullness. The day after we returned, I got a check from Kohl's for $100. I guess they found some money they owed me when they prepared my W2. How amazing is that! I guess I really am living on a prayer...and it's so much more peaceful then cash :-) How crazy is that!

So other then this, Aaron has an amazing school schedule this year. Only two classes and an internship...which all takes place MWF and ends by 12pm. So once work starts up again, he can work all T Th and after lunch. I am also really excited for him because he got the internship he wanted with the Sheriff's Dep. working with the Meth Task Force...he works in the health dep. building and has his own little office where he will be researching and goffering for this and that...he also wants to do some ride alongs. He also had the opportunity to go to some free seminars (being an intern) on drugs and their effects on children, etc. He bumped into our tenant who works for the county as a substance abuse counciler. Cool. In the mean time, I am getting completely spoiled with having him home, which is especially nice since we are able to kiss again...mostly because he finally got a minor cold himself, and I am immuned by this point. Also he is around in the afternoon so that I can take naps when Aloria is still awake. So while we live on prayers and wait for work, we've been reading the Crown Financial book...super fascinating...and fun to do together.

So, all in all, we are doing well, and have a lot to be thankful for...finding joy in all circumstances! Praise God for His kind of joy! I wish the same for all of you :-)

Personality ID from Crown Financial

2008-01-28T20:58:00.001-08:00

View my Career Direct personality profile

I love being pregnant!

2008-01-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

If I got to be this part of being pregnant all of the time, I'd be pregnant...all of the time! My morning sickness is finally ...practically (feeling good enough not to complain about it) gone! ...I am in maternity clothes (pretty much exclusively now) from my day o' shopping, and looking better every day. ...mostly, because I get dressed in the morning now. I know, isn't that sad! I was spending my entire day in sweats (or as Aaron called them, my "saggy baggies")...isn't that one of those things that you swear you'll never do to your husband once you get married. Bleh! Well, get a new wardrobe and you'll like getting dressed in the morning :-) I put on makeup AAAAND even curl my hair every now and again. I know! Anywho...I really love the pregnant body and all of its perks...my hope chest is coming in :-) and I don't have to worry about keeping a flat stomach...that's just pointless! ...and fairly soon, I think I will be in the "glowing" stage...which I'm pretty sure is actually imaginary. ...but random people will still walk up to you and gush at you anyway and say, "Oh my, you are just glowing!" Heck yeah, baby! ...heck yeah.

Shopping Spree!!!

2007-12-29T16:37:00.000-08:00

Merry post-Christmas everyone! The New Year is fast approaching...I can hardly believe how fast the year has gone. Aaron has finished his second to the last semester and will soon be hard at work again later this month. It seemed that graduation was such a long ways off, and now it is just around the corner!!! I want to save up some money so that we can have a big graduation party for him :-) ...or at least get him a nice present.

Aaron's graduation, for me, is just as scary as it is anticipated... I remember the summer following my graduation. I felt like I was floating...sort of useless and directionless. I hope that Aaron doesn't feel that way, but I am prepared with lots of pep talks just in case! As of now, we are planning on trying to get him into the police force...well, not so much we, as he. There isn't I can do much about it, other than support him a lot and pray for his safety every day. The other decision that graduation leaves us with is where to live. Most of you know we were deciding between California and Vancouver. Well, California is pretty much out of the picture. It's just too expensive...that and Aaron has really voiced that he can't see himself living there again...the politics, the schools, the materialistic life style...the FIRES! Anyway, that leaves us with Vancouver...and possibley Olympia, if Justin and Gwen are able to talk us into it :-) They've suggested it and we're praying about it...but in truth, although Aaron and I don't really feel like we need to stay in Colorado, we don't really feel a calling to go either. We're waiting for direction, purpose...a leading, if you will. So far, we don't feel particularly lead. Soooo...we wait. We have to wait until after this baby is born anyway (due mid to late June), so please keep us in prayer...as we seek the Lord for direction, ourselves.

Before I forget to mention it, our Christmas was wonderful...one of the best that I can remember with the exception of childhood memories. It's great fun when you are young...and then it sort of lulls until you have kids and then it is fun to watch them get excited...or to get excited for them until they learn how :-) We spent Christmas in Colorado this year, and with a lot of Aaron's family. We had stockings (my family doesn't really do that, so it was great fun to start our own traditions), we celebrated advent with Aloria every night after dinner for the December month, and we had freshly fallen snow Christmas morning! Aloria got sooo many gifts...I think she one, as far as amount. Once we got them from Grammy's house (where we opened them) to ours, I spent the day putting away most of her old ones and replacing them with the new. She hasn't outgrown all that she has, but I thought I'd bring them out later and maybe she would get some renewed pleasure out of them...that and I wanted to minimize the amount she could drag into the living room . I have a difficult enough time trying to keep the house clean! I posted most of the cutie pics on Aloria's blog.

Okay, now to my reason for blogging in the first place! My mom sent me a bunch of money for Christmas to buy some clothes with. Most of my maternity stuff was meant for summer, or work (when I was teaching), so it's a little nicer than I want to wear for just lounging around the house and comfort when it's cold outside, so I spent three and a half hours today shopping while Aaron watched Aloria. It was sooo much fun. I only went to two places...first to Ross, where I cleared out eveything I liked under ten dollars and then to Motherhood where I got more cutie yet functionally warm clothes. I haven't been able to shop like that in the longest of times. I even had enough money left over for a pair of morning slippers and chinese food between stores (my morning sickness is practically gone...practically). I have so many things, I wish I could be perpetually pregnant! Okay, maybe not, but it's so much easier shopping for maternity stuff...there are far less stores to choose from that cary things I like. I just had to go to the two I knew would have stuff I could wear. ...and the only reason I think it took me so long, is because Ross only lets me take in eight items at a time, so I had to make three trips! I don't like to go back to the rack, so I just pile it all on the cart. Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy!!!!!

If I don't post again for a while, Happy New Year. I don't know what my resolutions will be; I never remember to keep them anyway...maby it will just be to remember to pray so that I can survive all of the changes coming up :-)
Lots of love to you all!

Baby #2

2007-12-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

I had started a third blog...originally intended to give you a sneak peak at a story I was writing (link "Walk with me...). I have changed it to be a site for baby #2, who I am referring to as "Muffin" until further notice. You can find the link, "Muffin" on this page as well as Aloria's page...in fact they all link to each other. So, there you go... :-)

yeah for yogurt

2007-12-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

I decided that trying to give Aloria yogurt as a snack, although she is getting much better with a spoon, was a messy business I was growing tired of. ...and even though these little yogurt drinks are more expensive, I think they must be cheaper over all in comparison to a potential rug shampoo and all of the stain sprays I have to buy to keep her clothes clean.
That, and she loves them...lots of smiles and no mess...good times all around!

Christmas Party for Grammy

2007-12-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

Marlene and Larry (Grammy and Poppy) stopped by to show of their snazzy outfits and get some pictures on their way to a company Christmas party they were going to. Aloria loves Grammy's warm hat! Probably better then grammy does, haha.

St. Nicholas Party

2007-12-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

So, this Christmas I was really thinking you guys in Portland. I remember this one year in the dorms when Christy (at the time Lucas) crammed a bunch of us girls in her dorm room for a St. Nicholas Party. It was so much fun! I think the next year it was in the upstairs lounge (which is where I met Melissa:-)
I don't remember how many of you "marrieds" (females) were there, but I really wished that I could throw a great big party and invite all of you...parties are better with close friends, I think...but I did help put one together for our home builders couples at church. Aaron read the story about the three Christmas Trees...which I love! It makes me cry!
I also made little gift bags for all of the kids out of the burlap wedding runner I had...haha. Who knew it would come in handy again. I stitched their names on their bags with red yarn and filled them with an orange, chocolate coins and candy canes.
The kids watched movies and cookies, while the adults socialized and played Gotcha. It was a fun night, and I'm glad we did it...though I missed fellowshipping with you all!

Caleb has a sister!

2007-11-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I've talked about Rhonda before...she's been crazy hospitalized pregnant sick for the majority of her pregnancy, and so I've been watching her son, Caleb for her. Well, as of Thursday (the 15th), at 2:00 am, she had her baby girl! She wasn't due until Dec. 7th...which is really a sad birthday to have, though an easy one to remember, but the doctor had planned to induce her the day before Thanksgiving because she kept getting infections in her pick line (semi-permenant tube in her arm feeding her out of a bag). Well, such an infection happened again, and they planned to keep her overnight, only this time, her water decided to break and she went into labor on her own...and even though it's about three weeks early, everyone who knows her has sort of drawn a collective breath of relief, hoping that this will be the end in sight that she has been waiting for. No more crazy hormones making her sick, no more pick line, no more having to have Caleb far from her. I'm not sure how fast she will recover, but the point is that she is on her way. I'm not sure how much longer I will be watching Caleb, but I'm sure that when it ends, Aloria will miss her play-mate very much and we'll have to have him over occasionally, just to visit! ...and before I forget to mention, Rhonda named her new daughter Katie. She was 5lb 12oz and 18 inches long. I'm sure those numbers alone will infuriate Rainbow, when they were practically reversed for her, but what can you do. Rainbow your pelvis is my hero!

I live in a stinky crap hole!

2007-11-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's the holiday season and there are so many things I want to do, and I don't have the energy to do any of them! I barely have enough motivation to get things done on a good day, let alone day after day of feeling nausious... My kitchen is a complete disaster...I just ran out of small plates, bowls, and forks because I haven't washed any dishes yesterday or today. ...mostly due to the mysterious smells that seem to live there, hightened by irrationally driven pregnancy hormones. I can't stand the smell of meat...or to open my refrigerator door. I'm sure there are things that need to be thrown away, but I'm too afraid to find them. Aaron has been sooo sweet...he's been lighting candles and incense for me, to cover the house odors that normally wouldn't bother me, but now make me feel like I'm stuck in a stinky crap hole. ...and even if I can get away with having Aaron fend for himself for dinner, I still have to get Aloria and Caleb's breakfast and lunch. I'm hoping this will all be over in time for Christmas. I don't have much hope for enjoying this year's Thanksgiving meal, but maybe I will be feeling a little better by then. Either way, none of the cooking will be going on over here, if I can at all help it. ...maybe the mash potatos and a pie or two...but no meat or seasoned vegi's. I miss salads so much!!!! ...but if memory serves me right from my last morning sickness episode, there is nothing worse then throwing up a salad, so I have steered far far away from them.

Aloria is waking up...she just cried, but then stopped...I might get a half hour more out of this nap time, so I think I will go and attack the kitchen...oh so timidly, I might add. I never know if I should sleep or clean when she is napping. I know my body needs rest, but Aaron doesn't deserve to live in a pig sty...if ever we start making good money, for our third child, maybe Aaron will let me hire a maid. I'm sure if it means he will get fed well, he'll agree to it :-)

The hormones made me do it!

2007-11-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

First, I would like to start off by apologizing to everyone for not telling you that I'm PREGNANT! for the second time! I should have posted it earlier, but my morning sickness hit me pretty fast, and I've been doing a whole lot of nothing but feeling like throwing up for the past couple of weeks. ...that and traveling to Yuma to see Aloria's cousin be born. Sooo, I have a lot to catch up on, but Aaron just got home and I have to explain my new hair cut to him. I just gave myself some baby bangs... not sure if it was a good idea or not. ...the hormones made me do it!

2007-09-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

They saw lots of old mining/drilling (or something like that) equipment and shanties...

2007-09-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Before my parents arrived at our house they had been four wheeling in Ouray, CO... absolutely gorgeous! I haven't been there yet, though it's less then two hours away. I'll have to go before we move away from here. They went with some friends for Labor Day weekend...here are some of the breathtaking sceneries they were able to experience.

Looking back...

2007-09-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

My parents were just here, for what seemed to me, far to short a time. It was a wonderful visit!!! Aloria took to them as though they had never been away :-) What an answer to prayer! In fact, she wanted to be with my mom for then with me...haha. That's when you know you have the perfect baby-sitter. Too bad we don't live closer!

While they were here, I downloaded some picture off of their camera.

My brother and Deanna at their wedding...

Aloria tearing apart my bouquet during pictures :-)

Very early in the morning leaving for home from Cali. Aloria is wearing such an innocent expression...she almost looks like she's about to cry.

One of the many goodbyes I've had to say to my parents... but for every goodbye, there was also a "hello"...thank the Lord for that!

What's new?

2007-08-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

That is a good question...what is new? Well, I'll tell you. My days at Kohl's are quickly coming to an end. My last day is the 30th and, although I have liked working there, I will be happy to be home again. It breaks my heart to leave Aloria, though sometimes I do, indeed, need the break...but overall it has been a stress on us, and I will be happy when it is over.

In the meantime...I had a Pampered Chef Party yesterday, which a friend from Kohl's, who was most gracious to host, but it turned out to be a complete bust!!! It was good practise, good fellowship, good fun, and good cookies...but only one person wanted to order one thing (not the host by the way...geesh) ...which in the end, I can not order for her because I have to have orders totalling at least $150 to submit a show. This is actually pretty easy to do...if you invite people who are interested in buying something. I will probably have to hand her order over to my supervisor lady person and have her tack it on to one of her shows so that she can get her product. It felt like a failure of a show, but I won't be giving up just yet. Once I'm done with Kohl's I will have more time to devote, hopefully. One show a month is my goal...I won't stress myself out about it.

In other news my husband's sisters mother died recently. So really it's his half sister. I don't think I've mentioned that he had a sister...but he does and now you know. Her name is Elizabeth, and she is the eldest (coming from Aaron's dad's first marriage). We (and by that I mean Aaron) hasn't talked to her since just before we got married (she wasn't able to come). I think she was living in Florida at the time. Now she is living in California, but her mom was in Florida still. It's a very sad story, really. She hadn't been able to get ahold of her mom for a week and so she called the police to check on her...and they found her in her bed (they think she had been dead for about that long). Pretty much they were each others family (Larry and his ex-wife did not get along) and Elizabeth hadn't seen her dad or Marlene for about ten years I think. Anyway, she called her dad to let him know her situation and the Lord is really working through it. Aaron called her and asked what she needed...which right now consists of fixing up her mom's apartment/condo/whatever it is in Miami...it had damage from last years' hurricane season. She also needs to go through all of her moms things, mome furnature, throw out what she won't keep, get rid of clothes, fix up the house, go through paperwork, settle her mom's estate, etc. Taking care of a loved-ones life after they have left it is a really difficult and confusing task. So AAron called all of his brothers, and despite our collective poverty, they all decided to find the money for plane tickets and to go and meet Elizabeth in Florida and help her with as much as they can. She will have to supply the money/supplies, but her brothers will be there with her to help her move, sort, reconstruct, etc. Andrew (Aaron's middle brother) has built houses from the ground up, Aaron does framing and can pick up on anything else you teach him, and Jeremy has a job wiring stuff...and Larry (their dad), a welder by trade, is pretty much just handy at anything. That's right, he's going too! This is a huge answer to prayer, because Marlene said that she has been praying for Elizabeth, and even before she knew of her mother's death, had asked the Lord if He would see fit to work in Elizabeth's life again (she had received the Lord when she was eight) through her sons...that Elizabeth would know that she was loved by her family. Now all her boys are going...and Larry. It will be especially difficult on him, so please keep him in your prayers. I am hoping that Elizabeth will not feel orphaned, but embraced and loved through this. I have another sister-in-law I have never met...Aloria needs to meet her other aunt. I hope she will come be with us for the holidays...please keep her in your prayers. It will be financially taxing on everyone involved, but the Lord will provide for the reunion He, most certainly, must have planned :-)

Also keep the boys in your prayers as well...for safe travels and for a safe return. Andrew's wife, Anne Marie, is due for their first child Oct 20th, so it's difficult for him to be away from her so near the end of her pregnancy. Oh ya, they are leaving this coming Labor Day weekend. Marlene will be staying with me so I won't be lonely :-) The only sad part about Aaron leaving when he is...is that I might be fertile that weekend. That's right, I said it...FERTILE! We decided to try for another baby now instead of later...it may take a while anyway. I've never tried to get pregnant on purpose... it's almost as stressful as trying not to get pregnant! ...anyway you'll know when it happens...the announcement will be in bright red caps!!! I've pretty much forgotten about the pain of child birth by now, which is probably why I want another one...what am I thinking?! Epideral is what I'm thinking! Yeah baby! ...well, I'm actually not sure yet, but eh...we'll see. ...and oh yes, that does change my whole triathalon plans. I don't think I want to do something stressful to my body that I don't normally do during my first trimester if I do, indeed, get pregnant...so I'm going to sit this one out. Maybe next year! Viva la procrastination!

Updated!

2007-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

I think that the last thing I blogged about was my brother's wedding. The only thing I would add would be to please keep them in prayer. All new couples should have a covering of prayer to help usher them into married life :-) After the wedding, the real fun begins...no, I don't mean the honeymoon! :-) ...though that is...nevermind.

In other news, I'm quitting my job! Yes, Aaron's mind...I mean, my mind is made up. haha In truth, I was planning on switching back to Choice Hotels (my first job when moving here). Better pay, better hours, closer to home (I could walk there), plus commission... it seemed like a smart move. But, right before I was about to make my move, Aaron confided in me that he missed me, and that he missed me all the time and didn't want me to work anymore. He wants to take out a school loan to supliment our decrease in GI bill. I told him I didn't want him to have to go into debt his final year if we didn't have to. His reply to that was that it cost him more to have me gone then it did for me not to work. How can I argue with that! How sweet! A part of me, still wants to stick it out until next summer so he doesn't have to take the loan, but I'm happy to have the opportunity to submit to him...it's not often that he puts me in the position of having to follow his lead. Meaning...this is the decision that needs to be made. The end. But I trust his leadership, and his heart is so loving about it, that I'm sure this is the way the Lord intends for us to go. Truth be told, I am relieved... When we try for another one (in just three short months) those first four months take a real toll on your body. I remember being exhausted! I don't think I could do that and work until 1:00am and then get up to take care of Aloria without having a nervous breakdown. That, and I don't care for the throwing up part while at work either. Most importantly, I had forgotten what I had told Aaron in the beginning that I would rather be poor than work an opposite schedule as him, inhibitting us from being together. I strayed from that, though it was necessary for a time for us to do so (and pay bills), I think God is letting me know, that time is over. It has been difficult to crawl into bed at 2:00am after he has been asleep for a while. I miss falling asleep with him (and three out of four days doing that isn't enough). So now my attitude is changed and I am counting down the days until I am done with work (the end of this month).
Please pray for Rhonda...Caleb's mom. She is still sick (some bad days and some good days), and so I have still been watching Caleb. ...four days a week, 8-5:30. He is easy to take care of and he and Aloria get along well...for the most part. Aloria is more headstrong...and though six months younger, she is more aggressive then he is (well, she is my child), so if I need to keep anyone in check, it is usually her. Silly girl!
Going back to the subject of working for just a sec...while I was at work the other night, pushing my little cart and changing out all of the little sale signs, I came up with a story idea. I want to write a story. I don't know how long it will be, or if I will actually get it done, so I'm not going to say what it's about...but if I do get it done, I will post it and I hope that you all enjoy it! ...but don't hold me to it.
On the homefront, I am getting the kitchen a little more done to my liking (still need to paint some stuff)...I plan on stenciling some foliage on a large space, and Aaron has been patching up some dry wall after installing a fan in the bathroom...no more foggy mirrors and moldy ceilings...woohoo! We wanted to get grass planted in the backyard by September...not sure if we'll get it done in time, but we'll see.
Aaron starts school soon, and as mentioned before, this is his last year! I am going to throw him the biggest party when he's done!!! I'm really proud of how hard and dilligent he has worked at being a husband, a father, a student...and a friend. I couldn't have asked for better!
He is my hero! ...and I tell him so :-) Probably sometime during his second semester, he is going to have to really look into jobs and where we will be settling down, so we have something secured for us after graduation. I will have a second baby (Lord willing) by then and won't be able to help...not that he'd want me to again anyway :-) We probably won't try that again until the kids are old enough for school (depending on if we homeschool or not). Not so sure yet. I think I'll want the break in my day. I'm not built to stay home all the time...it makes me lazy!
Oh remember my exercising routine...haven't done it since getting back from the wedding. Once you like the way you look, it's like, cool! I've reached my goal and I'm good to go. Ya...not so much. You sort of have to keep it up to stay the way you want. Soooo I'm going to start back up today...and just for another added insentive (because I need that)...Aaron and I are going to sign up for a triathalon. I'll probably dog paddle in the pool, come in last on my bike, and walk the running part...perhaps not, but I have to tell myself that will be okay, just as long as I cross the finish line. The exercising is my goal...not the winning. The tri. is in October...perfect. I'll look fabulous just in time to get pregant again, haha. Actually, I really do think it's perfect. I'll be in good shape to keep exercising through pregnancy and then maybe I'll bounce back a little sooner after this next one. I want to have a lot of kids, so I need to get my body used to how it's supposed to look post pregnancy so it doesn't forget somewhere along the way :-) I also sort of hope I have twins somewhere along the way. I'll reach my number goal faster and it'll cut down on how many times I have to deliver...one less trama to my body the better. Sure, I might go crazy, but that's a chance my body is willing to take. Hear that body! Now lets go have a cookie!

Some pics of my brothers wedding...

2007-07-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

http://triplecord.com/blog/
If you click here...or type it in if this doesn't link...you will see just a few pics from my brothers wedding on the photographers website. Brent looks so handsom, and Deanna is beautiful! You can see me and the baby off to the side of one of them...and on the stairs with the rest of the bridesmaids... My hair reminds me of JSB the year I went with Justin and I wore a hair piece...this time it's real. I haven't had my hair this long since I was eighteen!

Sorry if you go there and the pics dissapear...they add more photos with every wedding, so you'll have to scroll down or just wait until they are all posted and then I'll let you know how to see them.

Congradulations to Tre and Kelly!!!

2007-07-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

Today, if I remember correctly, was the big day. I really wish that I could have made it out to see Tre and Kelly get married, but will have to remain satisfied that most of the rest of you were there and that they were surrounded by family and friends who love them. My love was there...hope they knew! If you read this, I thought about you several times today, hoping that everything was special and perfect for you big day! In other news, but on the same topic of weddings...we got back from my brother's on the 26th of last month. We were in Cali for 6 days, and it was really great! I mean really...it was a great vaccation. It was low stress for Aaron and I because we weren't the one's getting married. We looked fabulous in ourwedding party ensembles (we all wore converse, including Aloria, with our outfits...the look was actually pretty cute!), we got to spend Aloria's birthday at the beach, and danced our socks off at the wedding! Aaron can't really dance, but whatever it is he does is pretty fun to watch...difficult to follow, but a blast to try and keep up with!!! Aloria was exhausted after the wedding ceremony stuff, having only had one nap all day (wedding was at 6pm), so during the reception, we brought in a pack and play and stuck it by the wall behind our table and she slept through all of the load music and random announcments...I couldn't believe it! Poor thing! Her life was probably a little stressful being there, just because of all of the changes to her schedule, and long days without enough naps or sleep...but she handled it like a trooper and I learned just how far she can stretch when push comes to shove, before she falls apart. No crying on the plane either!!!
On the way there she crawled all over us looking out the window and oohing and aahhhing at what she saw...not much sleeping going on the first plane, but then on the second (where we got a whole row to ourselves for lack of passengers) when finally (and a bit unhappily) she fell asleep on the seat next to us. I don't think she had any ear problems that I could tell. On the way home, though...we got to the airport two hours early and waited in a line for exactly all of that time because of the one desk person that had helping the entire line, waited while someone cut in front of us to get a new flight for the one he already missed, and then missed our flight before the guy even got our bags checked!!! ...then because we checked in "last minute"...COMPLETELY NOT OUR FAULT!... we got the "special" pat down from security. The lady asked if Aloria could sit in the folding chair by herself while I got pat down (she would just crawl right off...she's not so good with getting down feet first yet), to which I replied a curt "no." So, I held her on each side of me and held her out to get pat down herself. I'm not so much mad at security for doing there job, but the airport for singling us out do to their error! ...by the way, we were put on standby. I thought to myself, perfect! I had 7 diapers and a limited supply of formula in my bag...and we couldn't leave the airport with her because we had already checked her carseat. My parents could borrow my cousings and come back for us in Cali, but if we got stuck on standby in Denver for our layover, we'd be pretty much stuck! Thankfully, we had a lot of people praying for us and we got on both flights for home. We woke up at 5:30am to catch our flight and arrived home at 6pm...with a couple diapers to spare! Never so happy to be home!!! UNITED SUCKS! I complained to a very nice Indian man over the phone and got a two hundred dollar vouchers for another flight. If and when we use them, they really don't go far for $300 plus tickets and all of the inconvenience and incompetence that may be waiting. Our next trip there would be for Thanksgiving...and I don't even want to think about what the airport would be like for an actual holiday! ...or at this point in time, staying home sounds good. I'll wait until October to think any more seriously about it. Hopefully I'll be pregnant by then and will too much morning sickness to think about traveling and then I'll have a good excuse to stay home! ...but believe me, that other than the flight home...the trip was fabulous.
...some things I forgot to mention were that we saw Aaron's brother and my sissy Anne Marie who's due in October...ya for pregnant sisters and Aloria's first cousin on the way!!! ...and Aloria loved the ocean!!! Holding our hands, she walked straight into the waves, no fear! She only fussed because we wouldn't let go of her ...not for the world baby girl! :-) She also love the pool and being in water in general...a must when being Aaron's child. He loves water! I'm sure I have more to say, but when I think of it I'll write again!
OHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! My phone broke and we just changed service providers. I'm T-Mobile now...new phone, new local number. Because my other phone completely broke, I lost my numbers, so please please email them to me. That means You! All of you! Okay, that's all until next time. Love and blessings!

I'm totally exercising!!!

2007-05-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

I have tried really hard to start an exercise routine this summer...truth be told, I've been trying to start exercising on a regular basis since I had Aloria. I kept telling myself that I couldn't commit to a regular routine because of time, lack of equipment, lack of motivation, etc... Well, I have the time (there are twelve hours in the day...if you try hard enough, you can find time for anything), I have DDR, a spinner, an exercise ball and videos..., and I want to look great in the bridesmaid dress that I'm wearing for Brent's wedding...so there is my motivation--June 24th. ...and yet, I still would give up after just a couple of days. Well guess what?!!! I'M ON MY THIRD WEEK!!! This is totally a milestone for me!
It all started when I picked up Self Magazine in the break room at work...it had a work out program (and online help) to get you going with four different goals (Start an exercise habit, Drop 8 pounds in one month, Sculpt sexy muscles, Go from walking to running) you can set for yourself with four different work out programs to go with each. I should have started with the first goal, but I've started so many so many times and I really want to tone up for the wedding so I skipped to goal three, and if all goes well, I'm thinking about learning to run next. I was really enjoying it when Justin got me started. Even though it's still just exercise, for some reason it has been working for me... it presents it in a way that has freed me from giving up if I "accidentally" skip a day. Proof of this was this last weekend. We were really busy and I worked a lot and late and missed two days. I was depressed over it, and was already feeling lethargic again, when I realized that I didn't have to give up...Aloria and Caleb (little boy I'm watching) were asleep and I decided that even though I didn't have time to do my aerobic routine, I could still fit in my strength exercises. I thought to myself...aerobic is good for my heart, but strength training is good for getting me into a bathing suit I like, and so I just decided to do one without the other and do them both on my next scheduled day and just continue to move forward. You really have no idea how much of a hump this was for me to get over, but it's the first time I've talked myself through the drought period. I now know I can make it until June 24th, and hopefully I will continue on past that. I'm so excited! If any of you have been struggling and want to do this with me, visit http://www.Self.com and if you have any questions let me know. Good luck!!!

Also, we've been hiking and camping with Aloria, I'm posting a blog about that on Aloria's site...this will be the summer o' fun!!! LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, WOOHOO!!!

PS...there is only one good reason to live in Denver

2007-05-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

...cheap plane tickets!!!

money money money...mooooneh!

2007-05-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

I went on a shopping spree...an actual shopping spree! Okay, not like a $500 or even $200 shopping spree, but I had my first paycheck from work, and Aaron (being the sweetie he is) let me spend it on a new wardrobe for work. You see, I got a job that I have no clothes for. It's summer, but dress code says that you can't wear anything sleevless...it has to cap over your shoulders. I don't have a lot of summer wear, but what I do have is sleevless. So, I got to go shopping, and of course I did that where I worked...where I got a 30% discount on top of the 50 and 60% discounts going on during their losest prices of the season. Woo hoo! Let me say that again...WOO HOO!!! It was really difficult not to feel guilty about spending money on myself...I kept thinking, I should buy groceries with this...or pay off my dentist bill, bla bla bla. ...but Aaron had given it to me as my birthday present, and so I am just really thankful! I haven't done anything like this in, I don't know how long. Life's little blessings. Rather, God's significant blessings that make small moments in life oh so special.

Red is how I'm feeling...

2007-04-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

I am officially not pregnant! Am I sad? A little. Am I happy? A little. Am I relieved. Yes, a little of that too. Every month is an adventure...but as long as the dollar store keeps selling prenancy tests, I'm okay with it. In fact, I am probably now their #1 customer. Gwen said that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Well, I have taken four tests in the past week and a half. Each one read negative, but because each one had the potential to be positive, I kept right on taking them. I am officially insane. these delusions led me to buy 6 total, so I have two left to satisfy next month's delusions for a magical, yet unlikely, pregnancy. ...and do you want to know what is really insane?! If I had bought my tests at a real store, they would have cost a total of $90. I love you Dollaroos!