Lady in Waiting!!

Hello everyone! My favorite hymn right now is "He is able to deliver thee!" I am six weeks away from "D"elivery Day! November 10, 7 am is the scheduled arrival of our sweet little Tom Tumble. He is so active and really growing right now. I am beginning to look like a barge and feel like a bloated whale. But, I can do this, somehow in these days.

For those of you who heard about the Hurricane winds that hit our area, Yep! We lost power on Sunday and did not get it back until around 10 pm Tuesday night. I was not a good pioneer at all.Alan has Amish roots in his background and enjoyed everything immensely. But for me, I was a failing student in this Amish 101 crash course. Thank the Lord it only lasted that long. That was two weeks ago tonight, and we learned that some people just a very few miles from us are only getting their electric back today!! So, it could have been much worse.

I am gearing up for fall decorating and doing some fall housecleaning. I am always excited about this time of the year. Plus the pending arrival of our little guy is making it more exciting than usual!

I am falling in love with Fall early this year

So -- allow me a little indulgence on the choice of fall colors for this writing. I absolutely LOVE autumn and all of the adorable decorations that go with this time of year. Yes! I am jumping the gun a little as they say down South in my native land, :-) but I cannot help it here.
I am counting the days until October 1st, so I can haul out my annual plethora of fall decorations and design to my heart's content!!
Better yet, I am REALLY EXCITED about November 10, 2008, 7:30 am when our little man is scheduled to make his appearance into this world via C-section delivery. With the bulge that I am sporting now and the lack of oxygen I am experiencing from my "extra" load, I am really looking forward to that first deep breath in several months. Holding my little angel from Heaven will be great too!!
Nothing spectacular happening here, but I am looking forward to all of the fun that will come with autumn and the holiday season.

Promised Pictures

Beautiful Pittsburgh, PA taken from overlook above the city. We had a great time shooting the scenery!






Our "archeaological" dig site for VBS at our church! When everything was over, Emily requested to keep the large black dinosaur head. She said, "I want to hang it on the wall in my bedroom!!"




Emily in complete "DIRT" mode after a hard afternoon of play with other little children at Heartland Bible Methodist Youth Camp!






Crowds clearing out of the tabernacle for another round of team activities in the ultra warm afternoon weather!!

Hello from a weary, but happy woman

So, Hi Everybody!
Yeah, Yeah, I know you have not seen anything of me for a while. With the exception of my protruding belly, I haven't seen much of me lately either! HA!
Here is a rundown of the last 18 days of my life:
DAY 1: Get up at 4 am to take two young teens from our church to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Get home from moving them in at 12:30 am the next morning
DAY 2: Take teenagers clothes shopping for youth camp.
DAY 3: Make fliers, go calling to invite kids to VBS
DAY 4: CHURCH 2 times, go out to invite kids to VBS during the afternoon.
DAYS 5-9: VBS every evening; preparing snacks and stories during the day
DAY 10: Sunday School Picnic for entire church.
DAY 11: CHURCH DAY; try to Pack to leave for Youth Camp next morning!
DAYS 12-16:HEARTLAND BIBLE METHODIST YOUTH CAMP (I'm not 15 anymore, I realize on about Day 2 of this Youth Camp!!)
DAY 17: Unpack, go calling, clean church, clean up mess from discovering that while we were gone the breaker blew out on the outlet for our refrigerator!! WOOHOO!
DAY 18: CHURCH TWO TIMES
PHEW!! Anybody want to trade places with this waddling pastor's wife who is so tired I do not know straight up from sideways right now?
P.S. According to ultrasound pictures, our little tyke-to-be is a boy!! HOORAY! Little Junior is due in November and this is one time I will be glad to see falling leaves, feel chilly air, and face another winter. I am ready to get this phase over and cuddle my little guy in my arms. Hopefully, there will be some pictures in a few days, once I catch my breath.
Oh, and for those who really care to hear it, on my first day off in 18 days, I got hit with a kidney stone the size of Mt. Everest (at least it feels like it)! I'd rather go through labor anyday! But, yippee, I am home and happy to be still for a while. Love to all. Later.....

Time Flies When You're Having Fun...

Hello Everyone!
I cannot believe that it is already June and I have not posted anything since April! WOW! Where did the time go?
Oh, I know! It went to the doctor, the emergency room a couple of times, to sleep for hours on end, to eat at strange hours of the night and morning, to a Mother-Daughter tea directed and put together by yours truly, to graduation parties for our seniors at church, to the graduation, to etc, etc, etc... Do you catch my drift here ladies? Any pastor's wives out there who relate?

The new baby is making its presence known in my "blooming" anatomy as well as its very active leaps and bounds within.
I do not know what it is yet, but we will hopefully know by the end of the month. My nesting instincts are getting worse everyday with major overhauls happening in every room of the house. I have so much news, I won't overwhelm you with it all in one setting. Hopefully, I can update everyone in pics and short notes along the way this month!

I am ready for a snack (probably ice cream cone -- it's after midnight!!!! :-) and some more delicious sleep! More to come later! God Bless!!!!

Spring has Sprung

Hello everyone! I just wanted to check in and let you know that I have not dropped off the face of the earth. Along with enjoying the FINALLY-arrived spring warmth and sunshine, I have been busy with two gardens. One is my veggie and flower garden outside, and the other is a new little life growing, inside. This has resulted in those glorious days of sleep, sleep, sleep and eat, eat, eat. Plus, YUK, YUK, YUK!!! Just kind of nauseated every once in a while. We are really excited about this new little venture headed our way. My due date is November 18. People ask, "What do you want it to be?" We reply, "We want a ........ HEALTHY!" More to follow, but I am hungry and will starve to death in the next five seconds if I don't go fill up quick! Alan and I are convinced this baby is a strapping boy who will one day play football the way I stay so hungry for red meat and potatoes! Ha! Catch you later. Love to all!

The Wonder of Joy in a Child's Eyes

There is nothing so precious as a little child singing its heart out in happiness and innocence. We discovered our little "diva" belting out songs known only in "babyese" clothed only in her red winter hat and a droopy diaper. Needless to say, we cracked up and had to get some shots of our little "punkin."