Today I took the bicycle into town instead of the car.  I would highly recommend it.  There's just no better way to take in the sights, smells, and sounds.  As I made my way to the post office, I swerved from side to side, crunching all the newly-fallen leaves. No pedestrians were harmed. 

   After I ran all my errands, I desperately wanted to get a cup of coffee and spend the rest of the morning down by the river, reading.  However, I headed home like the dutiful wife I am, and made my dear hubby lunch.  And then I started baking.  Coconut-lime banana bread and baked oatmeal are the baked goods of choice today.  The scent of the banana bread is wafting through the house and baby is getting impatient!  He/she wants some. I don't, but baby does, so I must comply. :)

   O.k. so I'm back a couple hours later, and the banana bread was a success!  Took a fresh, warm slice to my dusty, handsome hubby at work and he loved it!  Said it was maybe the best baked good I've made yet.  *blush*  So I must give credit where credit is due, and link the lovely site where I scored the recipe. 


http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/recipe-coconut-lime-banana-bread.html

Check it out.  Also check out the DELIGHTFUL accessories on their home page...I'm so into yellow right now!  Scroll down a little farther to the circle skirts...sigh.  If I have a little girl some day, we will make circle skirts together, one for her, one for me. 

   Today is a good day.  Which is a bit surprising after a rough night.  Was awoken (Awakened? Woken?)  at 3:00 am by a very unpleasant dream and proceeded to feel a straight-on attack from the enemy.  This came as no surprise, because the previous evening I attended a women's Bible study called "The Gathering" which never disappoints.  Women speaking life into women, prayers and praise being offered, and this particular time, exchanges were made.  We all had an opportunity to exchange shame in our lives for God's perfect love which casts out fear.   We wrote letters to God that no one will ever see, and in it released our shame and pain.  As a token of the exchange, we were all given a decadent, chocolate truffle in a gold box and I'd say we DEFINITELY got the better end of the deal!  Then again, we always do, when we give God our ashes in exchange for beauty. 



   So what did I do when I found myself awake at 3:00 am and feeling that full-on attack of fear, shame and despair?  I went to the kitchen, made myself a cup of tea, and dove into Beth Moore’s Bible study.  I was reminded of several things: 
 -I am God’s chief creation, and I am here for His pleasure and glory.
-God did not create me so that He could have the front-row seat at an ongoing saga of my follies and failures.
-God created me because he delights in me. 





   Some journaling, Bible searching and prayer later, my soul felt at rest, and I was able to crawl back into bed and get some sleep. 

   And that’s why I am not taking the joy of this day for granted!  His mercies are new every morning, and if it weren’t so, would we ever get out of bed? 

   I hope you all are having a marvelous Tuesday.

   Yay, I get a chance to blog today!  It is rainy and gray today, good weather for doing laundry, blogging and brewing a nice cup of tea, which is precisely what I'm doing.

   Started out my day attending a ladies' Bible study.  We are doing the Beth Moore study about the tabernacle.  I am excited!  It sounds so interesting, and I am hoping to be stretched and challenged to walk closer and deeper with God.  I need that right now.

http://www.squidoo.com/bethmoore4u

   Some women love to work.  Some love to stay at home.  I didn't have a clue which I was until recently.  I am definitely the latter.  Don't get me wrong, I am not naieve.  I KNOW there will be days that I will feel like my brain has turned as mushy as the peas I'm feeding the baby, from lack of intellectual, adult interaction and conversation. I know there will be days that the laundry, dishes, cooking and cleaning will seem like a never-ending battle that's hardly worth fighting. I know there will be days that the only thing in the world I want   need is to get OUT of the house.  But for now, it's still what I choose.  There will be lots of work, yes, but there will also be lots of opportunity. Opportunies to serve, create, design, write, and bless.  Maybe after I'm officially a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) I will have the time to let my creativity flow like this wonder-woman......

http://lifeisadance.xanga.com/

or this one....

http://baileyandme2.com/

but until then, I will dream and muse and scribble down little goals here and there.  Someday.....someday.

    In other news, I heard a wild, nonsensical rumor that yesterday was the first day of fall.  I very promptly dismissed the notion, as it has been fall for about a month now.  Strange how summer did not arrive until about a month after the rumors of it's first day were floating around....someone's not getting the memo.

In keeping with the randomness of this post, I will post a few pictures of things I am loving right now:
   This slice of pure delight was given to me by my lovely sis-in-law Jessi, for my birthday.  If it's hard to tell in the picture, it's an old window frame with chalkboard paint on it, and a chandelier painted on top of the chalkboard. I'm waiting to hang it until we move, so it's leaning up against the wall for now. I can't wait to use it to write all sorts of things...verses, inspiring quotes, menus, to-do lists...who knows. 
Wintry baby clothes, for a she or he.
Nice warm jacket for me.
Vintage bicycle, purchased at a garage sale for $.50  Can't wait to find a spot for this in the nursery. 

  So what about you?  What are some things you're loving right now?  Dreaming? Aspiring to do/see/be?  I want to hear a little from  you.  I would rather just invite you over for a cup of coffee, but this may have to do.

   It is cold and drizzling outside (shocking, I know) and I am all cozied up in a quiet, calm bookstore, with my laptop, books and magazines to keep me company.  I would also mention coffee, except that it's gone now.  Actually, so are the books and magazines, so it's down to my laptop and I.  I have nowhere to go, nothing to do, and therefore, no excuse not to update my blog! So here we go.

   These weren't my original plans for the day.  My day started out with sleeping in WAY later than I do normally, as a result from a long game of Scrabble with Randy the night before.  Even when I did finally wake up, I propped myself up on pillows and read a book until my poor baby demanded food, and went to the kitchen for some yogurt, granola, milk and a blueberry muffin.  If you think you can feel hungry now, just wait until you're pregnant.  Sometimes I'm about positive I can feel when the baby's hungry too.  Of course I'm sure that's just all in my head.  Or my...belly.  Speaking of my belly, you asked for it, more pictures!

   Where was I?  Ah yes, my original plans.  I had planned to go to the football game with Randy, but we woke up and it was cold and rainy with no sign of stopping, and dear Hubby wanted me to go, but even more than that, wanted me to be dry and comfortable.  So we decided he would take his little brother in my place, and I would go shopping.  Works for me. :)  Don't get me wrong, I actually really enjoy going to football games with Randy but I enjoy being dry and warm too, and the latter argument won out.  Plus all I could think about was how sore my bum would get sitting on those hard bleachers, and with my extra weight I've decided I'm not even going to attempt going to games without taking something soft to sit on.  So until I find something somewhat weather-proof, I'll wait for a sunny day to go. :)


This was back around 4 months, and the next few ones were all around 5 months.


   Here I am pictured with my friends Emily (above) and Cindy (below) who are both due in December!  My belly is continuing to grow, and here I am now at about 6 months.  On my trip to Iowa my little Sweet Pea was soo active!  Kicked and rolled like I had never felt before.  Maybe he/she was missing Daddy. :)



O.k. well that's enough for now, must run along.  Hope you all had a lovely, and less rainy weekend!

   I can hardly believe I've made it to the 3rd trimester!  It really snuck up on me too; the 2nd went much faster than the 1st.  And yet even as I type this I get the sneaky suspicion that I'll be reading this quite some time from now, bouncing a little drooling bundle of sweetness on my knee thinking, "WHERE has time gone?  I was JUST pregnant with this little guy/gal and we're quickly approaching their 1st birthday!"  Makes me want to slow down and just enjoy this stage while it lasts.

  So in honor of the 3rd trimester, I believe I will jot down some fun facts about our little sweet pea:

• Baby now weighs a little more than 2 lbs, which doesn't sound like much to you, but it feels like such a milestone for me!  It seems that for so long baby's only weighed mere ounces, so this is big news. :)
• Baby may already be sucking his/her thumb!
• Baby has eyelashes, eyebrows, and even tiny fingerprints.
• Baby is opening his/her eyelids and can recognize dark and light. 

  *and my favorite*
  .....Baby may already be able to recognize Mommy and Daddy's voices!

  
  

     It is all so exciting for me!  Unfortunately, I tend to rush through stages of my life, always looking ahead to the next one.  When I dated, I thought about marriage.  When I was married, I thought about babies, and now that I'm pregnant, I think about birthday parties and trips to the zoo.  Why do we do that?  In our rush to make it to the next big thing, we rob ourselves of the beauty and joy of the stage we are currently in.
  
     You're only pregnant with your first child once, and I want to make the most of this incredible, wonderful experience.  With that being said, I'm off to bed.  Not sure who needs the rest more, sweet pea or me. :p

  
  
   

     Started the day with cream in my coffee, and I believe it was spoiled.  Ick.

     This morning started out cool, damp and gray, and coupled with that "just-back-from-vacation slump", I'm finding it difficult to get motivated.  What i would prefer to do, is sit here and revel in the past few days, because perhaps that will make them linger longer....

    I was blessed beyond measure with a FREE TICKET HOME, and was able to see my family and the ya-yas, as I'm taking to calling them because of currently being knee-deep in the book, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.  A positively fascinating book so far, that I can hardly put down and has already moved me to tears. Twice.  It is a rare thing when books do that.  Who are the ya-yas? Well, these dear ladies, of course.

  It was a brief, but delightful time, and I will cherish those memories for years and years to come.  We sat around on couches and chairs, coffee cups in hand, almost afraid to dash off for a snack or a quick trip to the loo for fear of missing something important.  Hearts were bared, wisdom and truths shared, emotions shown and time...flown?? I don't know either, but it had to rhyme.

   Each one brings a delightfully different flavor to our group.  Whether it's optimism, humor, encouragement, or a good listening ear, our different strengths and characteristics mix into a savory blend.  It is never boring, and usually very inspiring!

   I think over the past few years we have somehow managed to grow even closer as we've moved (physically) farther apart.  With Jewel in Ohio, Sharon in Indiana, Heidi on the East coast, me on the West, and Loretta, Lindsay and Janene left sandwiched in between, we are a group spread far and near.  But I absolutely love the way that hasn't prevented us from keeping in touch with each other's lives, and constantly seeking opportunities to reunite. 


Floyd & Elaine were kind enough to allow us to crash at their house while they were gone, and we all felt very much at home.


The next day, we enjoyed a gourmet meal at Jeremy & Loretta's, and of course, some more talking, singing, and catching up on each other's lives.



The next day I enjoyed breakfast with Lindsay & Elaine at the family restaurant in Kalona.  The bakery was closed, so no traditional lemon poppy-seed muffin run for me. :(


Note* If I look tired, perhaps it's because I slept through my alarm and got ready in 15 minutes. (I'm blaming it on the baby :)  The food was great, company/conversation was greater, and I left feeling refreshed and recharged and ready to face life, which I suppose was a general theme of my trip!  Spent the rest of the day with the family; played some games, did a little shopping, and went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse with Grandpa's.  I am sad to say, of that whole time, I only have one picture!

   The next day Mom, Janene and I did some shopping and lunch at Chic-fil-A (a must:)  before taking me to the airport in Cedar Rapids.  I warned you it was a whirlwind trip!  If some of you are wondering why I didn't stay longer, it's because my Randy wasn't with me.  :(  It was our first time apart, hence the brief trip.  I was so excited to see him again!  Plus, my parents are coming out next month, so we hope to spend a lot more time together then. 

   All in all, I am SO grateful for the chance to see the Sisterhood one last time before the babies come! (Mine and Retta's) Although I must admit I can HARDLY WAIT to meet this little guy/girl!

Now, to just get motivation to finish up that laundry.....

That's what this post will be, a little blurb.  Sorry!

   It seems I never have time for blogging these days....but as I learned in church on Sunday, the phrase, “I just didn’t have the time” is inaccurate.  God gives us all the time we need, we just find ways to waste it and lose it.  Hence, running out of time to do things like spending time with Him.  So I guess I have nothing to blame it on but myself.:)

   It’s just that I’ve been so busy lately, what with work and time with family and friends, and preparing for my brief trip to Iowa this weekend....:)  I was going to keep mum and surprise people there, but seeing as how all the people I would surprise already know, I see no harm in putting it on my blog.  So there you have it, I’ll be in Iowa for a long weekend and hopefully I’ll see you there!

   Turning 25 was bittersweet, as all birthdays usually are for me.  I am torn between a profound sense of gratitude for another lovely year filled with all the blessings God has given me, and a sense of despair that I am not where I think I should be.  I’m not talking geographically, but more my relationship with God, or my compassion for other people, or just my Christian walk in general.  Sometimes I just feel so far behind where I think I should be, and with each birthday it’s like, “Wait, I thought I would be at a much different place by the ripe old age of ____.” 

   Anyways, I’ve been trying not to just mope and complain but actually do something about that this year, so that’s a start I suppose.   I must run to work, hopefully more before I jet off.  Have a lovely day!