I've got a...

New Attitude (0k, just had to use the song). New Attitude was so great. We enjoyed awesome worship, great teaching, and fun fellowship. Those of us on the worship team at 0ur church are looking forward to incorporating some of the wonderful new songs we learned this past weekend. Though most of the pictures you see here were taken by me, I didn't have the camera as much as David, so he took most of the pictures while we were there (I wanted to take some really awesome pictures, but my bag was already so heavy, carrying a camera bag as well would have done me in!).

Ok, Pictures. As chronological as possible:

Steve and Renee (and Elena's arm and the oatmeal cream pies) at our lunch stop at some school's parking lot in Tennessee--this just after our visit to the fabulous Truck Stop where a complete stranger started talking to us about the beauty queen of that region not being very pretty and wearing extremely large undergarments (this was one of my pictures--Don't you love the Little Debbie advertisement?).

A picture I took while passing this awesome t-rex in Kentucky. Sorry his head is chopped off, but we were going about 70 miles an hour, so...

An example of seating arangements. We had to hurry to get seats together before every meeting--sometimes a whole row, most times 2 half rows.
Our hotel was a couple of blocks away from the conference center, so we all got plenty of exercise to walk off the 8 hour drive and all the fast (and not so fast : ) ) food.

This is a shot I took of the foggy security camera that Leah fondly referred to as "the dream sequence". "Remember that time at Arby's when we waited an hour in line to order?" (begin playing dreamy-harp-flashback music).

Last night of the conference. Drove a few miles into Indiana to Steak and Shake to discuss the conference, but mostly John Piper ; ) I personally was voting for the Waffle&Steak (we left our camera!!!! and I didn't get a picture), but Steak and Shake probably had more available seating.

Failed attempt to get the head on the way home. Didn't even come close this time... but got a nice shot of the sign.
As you can see, we had a lovely time. I am so grateful for the experience. I learned so much and have been trying to start putting it into practice. Now if I can just get caught up on my sleep : )

maternity refashion

The before pictures: 1. A horrible wonky pair of maternity capris that never fit and the only time I wore them was the other day, suffering the entire time. (paid $4.00 for them during first pregnancy) 2. A good pair of jeans-- though not quite enough flare, plenty long!--but the waist went up a bit too high even when I wasn't pregnant (got them on sale for $9.00).

3. the After picture. Looks a bit wonky (the sewing is, a bit. but they fit, so maybe I'm a bit wonky). Newly made maternity jeans! Cost: $13.00 in all, but once you figure the age of the wonky capris and the previous use of the long jeans, I'd drop the cost down to at least $10.00. More refashions to come!

family party

Aubie had such a fun time at her family party. She actually didn't mind having another party since, as I mentioned before, she got to see all her favorite people: MarMar, MarMar, MarMar. Oh, and the rest of us (Ma, David, Me, Aunt Leah, Uncle Daniel, Graham, Pop, Elena, Aunt Jackie, Nathan, Caleb, and Uncle Mark). It was such a lovely evening! We all enjoyed the time together outside.

Here's Aubie patiently waiting for the time to open her wagon load of presents.

Aubie looking at her games from Aunt Leah and Uncle Daniel. We've already played Candyland: Dora the Explorer Edition a couple of times. Aubie really likes it! Oh, and isn't the cake great? Elena, Leah's exchange student, made it. She said her favorite part about birthday cake when she was little was the candles, so she wanted Aubie to have lots! It definitely makes for a great picture (Great job, David!).

what happened to my comments?

Just doing a test post to see if the little comment thing comes up at the bottom. It didn't on the picture of my grumpy girl.

school picture and school party

School is out for the summer. Woohoo!
Many of you have heard my agonizing story of the school pictures. For those of you who haven't, this picture pretty much explains it all. Basically, I'm in the picture to get Aubie to be happy enough to get her picture taken. Obviously, it didn't work. This was the only one that was taken, and it is pitiful, isn't it? When they gave everyone else 8 sheets, they only gave me one. Wonder why? ; )
The other picture is from Aubie's school party. She DID NOT want a real party. Just a school party. Better for me, because a school party is definitely cheaper. I decided to take advantage of a Saturday birthday, though, and sneak in a family party Saturday afternoon. Since she gets to see MarMar and Ma, she's ok with that kinda party.

Bo-ee

Yesterday, when we called Pop to tell him what we were having, I let Aubie tell him. She said, "Hey Pop. Mommy hab a baby in her tummy." I had to prompt her to tell him what kind of baby. "We hab a bo-ee." Pop asked, "It's a baby brother?" "NO. It's a bo-ee."

It's a...

Boy! I am so excited! I would have been happy to find out it was a girl, but since I kept feeling like it was a boy, I'm very glad to know I can trust my gut ; ) Oh, and now I know I can trust "the Oracle" as well. She's been saying "bruvver" the whole time.

I would post a picture to prove it to you (I know some of you are probably doubting the validity of such methods), but I don't want him fussing at me in a few years for posting "photos" of him on the internet. So, if you would like to see the proof, I will show you the pictures in person. Otherwise, just believe me. It's a boy.

Yea!

Only two more days till my next Ultrasound! Woohoo!

tea and crumpets

Last Thursday, we went to a tea party/birthday party. Aubie has trouble learning names right away, so Promise's name is just "my new fwiend", right now. It's so sad to be meeting new friends just before they move away, but now Aubie knows some missionaries that we can pray for when we say her prayers every night.

All the little girls had a lovely time--the big girls did too! : )

<---My Miss Priss

flour girl

Last night, I asked Aubie if she wanted to help me make supper. Of course, the answer is always yes, so I told her she could batter a piece of cube (looked it up on dictionary.com cause I'm never sure if it's cubed or cube--it says either one) steak. She took the entire time that it took me to batter the other 7 pieces and fry each of them to finish battering her one. As you can see, she had a fabulous time. And as you can imagine, I had a fabulous time cleaning up ; )

This last one reminds me of a line from Calamity Jane, one of my favorite movies, when Katie Brown puts too much powder on her nose and says to herself in the mirror, "Look at you. You haven't even got a face."