Eeks!

Mark and I had our routine OB check yesterday - you know, the one that lasts five minutes(which is fine 'cause that means that everything is okay). When we were finishing up our doctor had us make our next appt for two weeks. Yikes - we're down to two week visits!?

A surprise baby shower!

On Tuesday nights during the semester, Mark and I teach conversational English to internationals - mainly Asian students. Well, this past Tuesday, they surprised me (Mark knew about it) with a baby shower. I had no clue!
Everything about American culture is interesting to these internationals, so an American baby shower is a great opportunity to teach more about our culture - they also used a Noah's ark theme - so that gave some biblical teaching opportunities.
I didn't have my camera - or else I would have lots of pictures to share. We did have some pictures e-mailed to us - so, if I can figure out how to upload them here, I'll share them.
Mark and I love international ministry and have been so blessed through getting to know many internationals the past year we've been here!

Recall list

For those of you interested in being notified for recalls - of any kind - you can sign up to recieve e-mail updates through a government website. The nice thing is that you can decide what type of recalls you want to be notified about - whether it's for child stuff, outdoor stuff, etc...

Attitude of gratitude

I decided that it was time for another posting of thankfulness to my patient, longsuffering Savior and Father for the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in my life. Granted, there are many areas where I look and wonder if I'm ever going to "get it", but I am so thankful for the areas where I can say - "yes, by the strength and perseverence of the Holy Spirit - I am growing".

This may sound - ahem - childish - and I agree that it is - so that's why I'm so happy to say that there is growth. Mark and I are different - in that he would rather not "have to" go anywhere out of town/overnight. He is happy in his routine.
I, on the other hand, relish opportunities to "get to" go anywhere/overnight.

Considering the nature of our careers - even before we were married - I knew that Mark would "have to" go out of town several times a year for conferences, research and such. In nursing, unless you go to a conference - which is hardly ever, you don't get paid to go anywhere.

Let's just say, that I anticipated struggling with Mark "getting to" go places and me "having to" stay at home and work. And, I was right. I really did have pity parties - and no sympathy whatsoever for Mark's travel woes.

So, the good news is, I was okay with him going to Tulsa this week! Yes, I would have preferred to be able to go with - I've heard from several different sources that Tulsa is actually a cool little city. But, being in my third trimester, it was really out of the question to drive six hours away.

Praise God for growth - however small it may be to others - this was big for me!!!

Welcome to my third trimester

Here is proof that I am indeed very pregnant. I still feel yucky - in the afternoons and evenings. I still struggle with worry, though not as badly. We didn't buy a car seat/stroller because there was only a thirty day return policy. Some days I feel huge - but try not to think about it too much. I know that, Lord willing, I have less than three more months to grow our Matthew - and that really is a good thing.

You know you live in the South...

when you're listening to the radio and they say that it's 83 degrees and feels like Fall!

Autumn

Well, it's not in Arkansas, yet. Still in the 80's and humid - but I know that Autumn is coming! Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year - crisp days, lower humidity, changing colors, football, etc...
Living in Inidana, though, always brought a bit of dread, too. I knew that just around the corner was winter. Winter would be my least favorite time of the year, dreary, layers upon layers of clothes, wind chill factors, never being able to get warm where I lived because I never wanted big heating bills.
Not the case down here. Yeah, there made be some cold days, but not like North Central Indiana. I'm sure that in time I'll miss snow, but for now, I'm reveling in the thought of a mild winter.