Run Down on Our Running Around

I consider myself a not-busy person.  Sure, I have my three kids and I drive two carpools.  But I have time for the gym most days. I enjoy being an adviser in the Young Women's organization at church where I get to be involved but don't shoulder much responsibility.  I didn't volunteer myself for anything at the elementary school this year, partly because being room mom last year wasn't my favorite and partly because with baby on the way and my allergy to pregnancy, I just don't have much left to offer in the way of anything.  In fact, we went against Texas parenting mores and didn't sign our kids up for a single sport.

So why these past few weeks have felt like such a whirlwind, I do not know. I am in charge of one of the crafts for a large activity at church that is taking a lot of preparation.  I've spent a bit of time gathering and sewing Halloween costumes.  Max turns 3 tomorrow, though I can't claim that that has taken up much of my time because I still don't know exactly when we'll be celebrating  or what we'll be doing.  I have been making progress on getting this house just how I'd like, due in part to some very serendipitous furniture finds.  Someday soon I hope that things will be presentable enough for some pictures.

Meanwhile pictures of this stuff will have to do.

Nothing as fun as painting or hanging pictures, but we finally got this vent cover removed for a well deserved cleaning and found, in the wall, a puzzle in its entirety, it's pieces apparently to irresistible to keep from shoving through the slats.

We went to the arboretum,

and the pumpkin patch twice.

We went to the State fair, where the food was good,

the Ferris wheel was exhilarating,

The treats were yummy,

the roller coaster was scary,

and the spook house was awesome!



Luke was the recipient of this fantastic quilt made by his Grandma Linda, that he just loves!

I am growing a baby, still.

I think this was from last week which would make me about 20-21 weeks here.  I can't remember anything anymore.

And this shirt finally sealed the deal for all the doubters out there,

 the ones who have been watching me get fatter yet were still too scared to say anything.  I can't say I blame them, but it sure was nice when Luke's preschool teacher finally said, "Congratulations! I thought you might be pregnant but I didn't want to say anything in case you weren't."


One of the other reasons I think this past month has flown by is that this has been our most traveled year by far. It's been fun, but in the past 6 weeks, one or both of us has been out of town for parts of 4 of them.  We both went to Vegas for Garth, Dan went to Utah for Boys weekend and BYU game, Dan just returned from Atlanta where he saw another BYU game with his east coast brother. And last week, I went to Wisconsin after my sister, Leah, and 2 of her friends schemed to fly me there to take their respective family pictures.

The 2,000 pictures on my hard drive are weighing heavy on my mind and to-do list.  I was nervous about the trip but took some comfort in the fact that they were all fully informed of what they were getting (me).  I love taking pictures but hate the pressure, especially because I know how stressful it is to get a bunch of kids all dressed up and keep everyone (even husbands) in good humor. And then if the pictures don't turn out? Lame.

 As an aside, I find it quite interesting that as I decided to make a more conscientious effort to look for the little ways God is in my details, they have become so much easier to see.  Two Sunday sermons in a row is kind of crazy, I know, but I just can't help it.

The forecast while I was in Milwaukee was all rain, all the time.  Except for the last day, which only Leah and Chris were available for.  As soon as we realized what this meant (flying all the way there with the real possibility of being rained out) we all started praying.

On our way to the first shoot, it was sprinkling quite a bit.  When we arrived, we got out of the car to discuss our options, and miraculously, the rain stopped.  We hurried to shoot what we could and ended up going for 2 hours without a drop of water.  When we all had our fill, we got back in the cars, drove away and within minutes had to use the windshield wipers again. I sent up a little thank you prayer.

That evening, we headed back out for family #2.  Only this time it was not sprinkling.  It was raining. The clouds were gray and dark in almost every direction. Again, we arrived, got out to discuss our options and within a minute the rain had stopped.  We hurried to get some pictures in before assuming we'd be chased under the porch of the farm house at any moment.  But picture after picture, we shot for an hour and a half before the evening was falling and the last moment captured.

We got back in the car and just as it had that morning, the drops were hitting the windshield as we pulled out onto the road.  Some might call it a coincidence, but not me.