Long time, no post

Okay - so sorry for the break in posting. In part it was due to our computer being down and me not having access to our pictures, etc. (it was also due in part to life being busy and blogging is quite honestly not at the top of my "things to do" list) Things that have happened since my last post:

1. I quit my job at Echo Community Healthcare
2. I took a job at our local health dept.
3. Andy, Nora and I took a little vacation visiting family in arkansas and touring a small portion of Missouri.
4. I started my new job.
5. Nora left us to do a 5 day visit with the grandparents away from home. It went surprisingly well for both the baby and parents.
6. We joined the miller/justison family for the annual father's day gathering and celebrated sarah and kori's baby shower.
7. Nora turned one (can you believe it?!?)
8. On her first birthday she got what we thought would be a black eye (it later turned out to be not quite so bad, but still a sad injury for sure)
9. Nora had her birthday party
10. I'm tired

Some pictures from the party (perhaps later I'll post pictures that happened during vacation and all the other stuff in between)








Oh, and...
11. We're having another baby - due to arrive Jan 1, 2011. Again, can you believe it?

Easter & Nora

Andy, Nora and I went to a Good Friday service at another church in town. We were invited by our adopted family (the Hambys) and I really enjoyed it. It was a great reminder of all the events leading up to Christ's death and then hearing "but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities..." after rehearsing the story makes your heart break for the cost of sin and fall in love with Jesus. I have been wondering though...when it says he gave up the ghost, is more like he gave up the body? (since His spirit left and the body stayed behind.) Anyway. Easter Sunday was fairly uneventful. In the late afternoon we went to the Hamby's house and played a few games.

On another note, Nora is super cute. I love her and her little personality. She is seeming so much more grown up. Yesterday we tried apple juice for the first time - I shared a minute maid juice box with her. She is really good at drinking through a straw. And, with her little pony tail and juice box she seems to have grown up quickly. She babbles away, but I have yet to decode her language. I'm hoping she'll convert to mine quickly so we can more easily understand each other. Although, she definitely knows what "no" means. She is loads of fun.

(Here are several pictures of her...mostly from Easter and some of her with the juice box)

Bathtime Baby

This picture from yesterday after Andy "fixed" her hair. She's always loved her bath time. I love watching her splash and play with her toys :)

Heat Rash or Allergic Reaction?

I can't decide which it might be...if it gets worse or continues a trip to the doctor will be in order.

She's doing this now...

I have written down that February 6th is when she started crawling around - like, army crawl. By the end of that week she had crawling down. Yesterday she decided she could walk and started pulling herself up and then proceeded to walk around while holding on to the couch, daddy, mommy, and whatever else she could find. Her tooth is poking through, and then today she's standing again. She's got no fear and doesn't seem to realize that she isn't that good with balancing yet. She lets go of what she was holding on to and attempts to walk toward whatever or whoever she wants... it's crazy. Tomorrow she'll be writing essays. Oh, and she loves Andy lots. Whenever he gets home she smiles crazy big and reaches for him and holds on to him tightly. It's super-cute...but, I'm kind of jealous.

p.s. I'm seriously considering purchasing her a helmet...for real.

More Recently

Nora is crawling...She is trying to use her toys in new, exciting ways... (like crawling through the exersaucer like it's a tunnel.) She wants to do everything herself (including feeding herself...she's currently sprouting a sharp tooth.)She loves to play with and eat the boingy doorstops - they're her favorite.

She makes us laugh when she laughs... I love to hear her laugh, and I try all day long to hear her wonderful giggles.

And, besides watching all of Nora's activities Andy and I continue to work with Mondays off together each week. We had an early morning date (with Nora in tow) to Chick-Fil-A for a free Valentine breakfast...it did not include chicken, though. They were promoting community marriage building classes. We are looking forward to attending Julie's wedding in St. Louis - it will be a mini vacation for us since we both have Monday off as well. The family is doing well, and we're excited to see what new things God will bring into our lives next.

As of Late...

- January has come and gone

- The clinic I work at burned down and I've been displaced

- Work is getting more difficult to enjoy

- I cried at work for the first time ever, at any job

- I wish I could stay home more during the week

- I love Andy lots but wish I had more time with him (We do have Mondays together now)

- I think that my creativity will find itself in cake decorating more now than scrapbooking (there are a variety of reasons for this)

- I have a nephew, the first I've ever had and his name is Josiah

- I am anxious for God to do some drastic changes in my life

- I am praying Nora's kidneys heal on their own without surgery

- I dream about camping in a tent with Nora and Andy...and it's fun in my head

- I like playing with Nora, she's fun when she's fed

- I like to think I'm being amazing when freezing fresh food for the baby

- I am thankful that God cares about the little things