This Year We Are In America.

This morning my view includes a bearded man wearing shorts and a hoodie as he slaves away in our kitchen making the last breakfast in our new house for this year. It is hard to believe that 2010 is wrapping up and soon we will be ringing in the new year.

This year is ending way differently than the other years we have spent together. This year we are in America. The past 2 years Brandon and I have had the great opportunity of ending the year in Rome, Italy. We were blessed by so many family and friends that funded us on 2 different mission trips to serve refugees in Rome. The past few days our hearts have been filled with memories of our experiences there with those young men. We often find ourselves wondering where they are and if they are still sleeping outside that cold train station.

This year we have been blessed with so much. I sometimes wonder why I get to fall asleep at night in a warm house and in a bed. Why do I get to have more than a cold sidewalk and an empty stomach... Thank-you-Jesus for all the blessings in our life that we take advantage of everyday.

Count your blessings today.

His World.

The next few weeks I am going to mix things up on Thursdays (If Mr. Armstrong plays along)!!

On Thursdays Brandon is going to take over the blog and share his ideas, thoughts, and experiences with you. I am sure the upcoming posts will be filled with jokes, stories, and pictures of his life as he starts his new job, and becomes a new dad!

Coming Next Thursday-- His World.

Work together today.

Can I Interest you In some Bulb Grease?

I am by no means a city-girl. I was however born in a somewhat big city and lived in one until I was in the 5th grade, but every since the day we left Kansas I have resided in a small town. Our recent move has brought us nothing less than small-town-atmosphere.

Today, Brandon and I had some errands to run.
Errands that included:

• Opening up a checking account at the bank.

• A quick stop at O'Reilly's (where we were asked-- the question " Can I interest you in some bulb grease?" -- I don't know why I thought it was so funny, but Brandon was so thrown off by this question! We had a good laugh)
• A stop at the local Homeland for milk and eggs.
  

and lastly...

• We stopped in at the Walmart that is so small the back wall is visible when you walk in.

We had fun getting out of the house and exploring our new place this morning.

Get-out-and-explore-your-world-today.

116 Flavors

Right now I have 116 pink paint swatches sitting on our coffee table.

Everything from Fuchsia Flock to Peruvian Pom Pom. Picking the paint color for Alivia's room has probably been one of the hardest things for me so far. Honestly, we haven't done much to prepare for her arrival, but this color decision is weighing heavily on my shoulders.

I want it to be the-perfect-shade-of-pink.
Decisions, Decisions...

Be indecisive today.

Pink Elephants

Yesterday evening I was looking at baby bedding at diapers.com and I fell in love with a set that has pink elephants on it.

Last night my dreams consisted of elephants and babies. I think this might be a sign... hint, hint, Brandon :0)

Dream elephant-sized dreams today.

Years 1, 2, and 3

Brandon and I were talking yesterday about the 3 Christmas' we have spent together.

Year 1: Engaged
Year 2: Married
Year 3: Pregnant

We are wondering if every Christmas in our marriage is going to be something new and exciting. We hope so.
God has blessed us in the past going-on-three-years of our young relationship, and I am so glad I am no longer just running into this guy at OSU sporting events. I am looking forward to the upcoming years and exciting Christmas' we get to spend together and with our growing family.

Love today.

The Best Christmas Present

Today Brandon and I were setting on the couch in Durant listening to the Christmas story being read and we saw my belly move for the first time! Our little girl was dancing inside me and my belly was moving all over the place.

This is by far the best Christmas present I have ever received!

Enjoy the small feelings today.

Christmas Rules

I am a designer at heart.

I wish something as simple as placing books on a bookshelf was a easy 5 minute project, but I hate to say that it's not. I contemplate where the book should go, which ones need to go together on a certain shelf, should they be horizontal or vertical, and on and on and on... There are many small tasks in my life that I spend hours thinking about... Christmas decor being one of them.

I know it may be hard to understand for some people (not-to-mention-any-names: Brandon) but I love planning out our Christmas decor. I love shopping for wrapping paper (that must match) and it is really important to me that everyone in the house loves it as much as I do! I love this time of year and looking under the tree and seeing a perfectly wrapped present ready to be given to family member warms my heart deeply. I might be crazy, but at least my craziness matches.

Design your life today.

7 Cans

Nothing excites me more than 7 cans of paint and freshly never-been-used-before paint brushes.

Brandon and I bought our first house 2 weeks ago. This is a miracle in itself. God opened up door after door and before we knew it we were unloading boxes and putting dishes in what seemed like our 7,000 miles worth of cabinet space in our kitchen. Our kitchen...

This past Sunday we began demo on the house, nothing crazy, just simple wallpaper removal right? (so we thought...) The living room was a dream. A few squirts of water here, and little elbow grease there and we were looking at perfect walls ready for a beautiful coat of paint. I was in heaven. BUT the laundry room is a different story. A completely different story. We are talking a whole army is needed to remove 1 inch of this horrible green wallpaper... My dad, brother and myself worked on that space for 5 hours (which is like 20+ years in pregnant women time) and we are maybe half way through. This room is definitely a work in progress.

Let life happen today, but expect delays.

24

Today marks week 24.

According to my StrongMoms Pregnancy Planner: Alivia's face is almost completely formed, right down to her tiny eyelashes. She is growing steadily, probably gaining about 4 ounces since last week (putting her over the 1 pound mark), and she is almost a foot long (almost as long as an ear of corn). Her taste buds are continuing to develop and her lungs are under major construction. Her little kicks are starting to become not so little anymore (which I love). And every night her Papa Bear gets to feel his little baby girl dance inside my belly when we read her a bedtime story! Which is by far the best part of my day!!

I love having a little angel inside me, but we are only 112 days away from our official due date, and I honestly can't wait to see our baby girl!

New Things

This morning as I sit on our couch overlooking everything new in my life I am filled with Joy.

The view is amazing.

• First I see my new bigger-than-it-was-yesterday belly. I feel a small little kick and I reminded of the little human growing inside me. Joy.

• Next I see a beautiful house with a glowing Christmas tree lighting up the freshly wallpaper free walls. It is hard to believe this is our home. Joy.

• Then I see new opportunities opening up before Brandon and I. Scary opportunities, but good ones. Joy.

new town, new house, new baby, new job, new everything


En-joy the new things today.