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

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...

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!

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

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...

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!