Ethan or Jacob??

It's official!!! We all wanted it to be a girl so bad because Jess already has Nathan. Since he's been getting a little older, he is a lot more of a handful. Walking and running everywhere, and definately testing his limits. A girl would have been a nice change of pace from tonka trucks, balls, and blue!!

But another boy will be just as cute, just as fun, and we will get the best of both worlds. We'll have a little boy talking, walking, and running everywhere, and a little baby, cooing, smiling, and I'm sure crying.

Jess wants to name him Ethan, because Nathan and Ethan sound cute together, but Adam doesn't like it so much. He wants Jacob, but our boss at work just had a baby and that is his name. (Adam and I work together) They didn't even have a boys name picked out because we all thought it would be a girl!

Well, as long as Jess keeps me busy with the toddlers and babies, I won't want any kids of my own!

In Him

So I don't know what the whole deal with Isreal and Lebanon is. We don't watch the news to often. What I do know is now more than ever have conversations about the end of the world come up between my friends and I.

Now, I'm not one of those people who thinks that the end of the world is tomorrow. But I am smart enough to know that we don't know the day or the hour, and I think that we have been in the beginning of the end since Jesus ascended to heaven. Therefore, we should be ready.

But all the theories about how it's gonna happen and when it's gonna go down and who the antichrist is is kind of blurry to me.

Part of me thinks, WHO CARES.

I won't be here when that happens anyway. Dave and I believe in pre-trib.. meaning that the children of God will be taken before the tribulation. 1 Thess 5:9 " For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to recieve salvation through Christ Jesus." I'm not worried about me and what will happen to me. And if it does happen, I know where I'm going, I'm assured of my salvation.

What I think about is unsaved loved ones.

Employees at work who think about nothing other than partying.

the girls who come into the pregnancy center.

The man on the side of the road begging for money.

I think about them and wonder if they know Jesus, or if they ever will have an opportunity. They see my lifestyle, and they know where I stand, but is that enough?

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

In the end, I guess they have to make the choice.

Live Free or Die

WE"RE GOING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited! That is where Dave is from. He was born and raised there and he misses it a lot. We hadn't planned on going back for a while. We were planning on January or February. Apparently it is freezing during that time, and he finally put two and two together.

Florida Girl + cold weather = :(

But I can't wait any longer!

We decided october would be a good time to go because then I could see the foliage.

I didn't even know what foliage was before. We don't get that in florida. If it gets cold, the leaves turn brown and die and that's the end of that.

I remember my first year at ORU I lived in Braxton on the first floor. I woke up one morning and the green tree outside my window had one red leaf on it. I thought it was weird, but I didn't think anything of it.

The next day there were four or five red leaves, and a couple were yellow.

I frantically called Dave up. "I think the water here is contaminated. This leaves on this tree outside my window are turning red! It must be the water!!

Dave started laughing at me. "It's foliage"

"Foliage?? What's that?"

"You don't know what foliage is??"

He talks about it all the time. How beautiful it is, how there is nothing like it in the whole world. He also doesn't let me forget that he has been to Florida not once, but twice, and therefore, It's time to see where he is from.

He asked me why I want to go so bad. I figure it will just give me a litle more insight into who my husband is and who he is. If I have to endure some cold weather and seafood while I'm there, well, so be it.

Oh and I guess live free or die is the state motto... I couldn't think of another title!

New Hampshire, HERE WE COME!!!!!

Creepy Crawlies

So, Dave and I were having pillow talk at three in the morning today. We were talking about things we were afraid of, that really we shouldn't be.

Mine was bugs.

EWWWW.

Dave: "Why are you so afraid of bugs?"

Me: "Cause they are icky and gross and creepy"

Dave: "Well what are you going to do when you have all the kids with you at home and you see a bug?"

Me: "I'm gonna make a note of where he went and when you come home I'll tell you."

Dave: "Just kill him with your shoe"

Me: "gross! I don't want bug juice on my shoe. I guess I could use yours though"

Dave: "Thanks. You know, it's not just you, it's all women who are afraid, you guys are weird"

Me: (long pause, waiting for the Lord to speak to me) "You OBVIOUSLY have not read Genesis"

Dave: "What does Genesis have to do with anything?"

Me: (Turns around, hits the light and grabs her Bible, opening to Genesis.) Chapter 3, verse 14 (reading out loud) 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;he will crush your head,and you will strike his heel." 16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;with pain you will give birth to children.Your desire will be for your husband,and he will rule over you"
So see honey, it's NORMAL for women to be afraid of creepy crawlies. And since verse 16 says our husband will rule over us, it also means you rule over the creepy crawlies in our lives. (BIG BIG GRIN)

Dave: Oh brother! Go to bed!

Hee hee ha ha

If I could describe my marriage in one word...

It would be laughter.

Dave is the best at making me laugh. I think I can be serious a lot. (I know, hard to believe if you know me, but it's true).

Dave knows exactly how to make me laugh, and he makes sure I keep laughing and smiling all day long.

If I'm really serious, or really focused, he has to make monkey faces to make me laugh.

If I ever get upset at him, he does something really goofy and it makes me smile and I forget all about why I was upset.

If I'm really tired and grumpy after work he always makes sure I smile for him before I go to bed.

Laughter definately is the best medicine. :)

Ode to Ice Cream

If I had a bad Day...

Or if I'm Sad

Or if I'm happy

Or If I want to curl up with a book next to a fire when it's cold out

Or if we go to a ballgame on a hot summer day

I can always count on my ice cream to cheer me up

If it's bad now, what's it gonna be like when I'm pregnant????????

AHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Scary!!!!!!

Nathan Ross

He's getting SOOOOO big!!

I can remember when he was just born, so tiny, and now he looks like a football player! He's walking, talking (well almost), and running around everywhere.

I went out with Jess and Nathan yesterday. Jess needed some maternity shirts so we went to Motherhood maternity and I got to watch my little nephew. Well, he's a pill. he's 14 months and likes to get into everything!! If I let him out of my sight for one second he was pulling down toys that he probably thought were his. But I love chasing him and running after him. It's so great that he knows me. It's so fun to see him recognize me when I walk up. He gets a big grin on his face and reaches for me. SO CUTE!!

Yesterday when we went out to eat he wanted to play with my credit card. So I gave him a little card that had a calender on it. He had a blast with it. He kept sticking it to his forehead and it kept getting stuck. Then he would look at me and laugh.

That's one thing about if we move. I won't get to see little Nathan and his baby sister Emily grow up. :( Maybe we will just have to stick around for a while. :)

Xbox and hairdo's

I have had three lovely days off, which is rare in the restaurant business. On my second day off I was going to cook dinner, but we ended up shopping half the evening and decided to go out instead. Well, we hadn't seen Dave's brother in a while, so we invited him to come out and eat with us and come over to the house afterwards to hang out.

He brought his Xbox

So I lost Dave for the night, Which was fine because I had a lot to do anyway. I cleaned the bathrooms, the kitchen, and I got caught up on laundry. Then I had time just to relax.

Well watching these boys play xbox was a hoot! It felt like I was a little girl watching my big brothers play again. It was classic. Hooting, hollering, laughing, competitiveness, it was so funny. And of all games, they were playing mario kart.

In case you all missed my last posts, My brother in law's hair is orange. Well, it seem as if it has transformed into yellow or bright yellow, so I offered to trim it for him. I figure I trim Dave's hair, so his brothers can't be to difficult.

(Yes, that look on my face might have been me conjuring up something to do to his hair, but I didn't go through with it)

Only his brothers was a lot thicker.

And the buzzer got stuck in his hair a couple of times.

But we got through it, and his hair looked pretty darn good.

And I couldn't let Dave get away without a trim either.

So in the chair he went, and thankfully he wasn't as shaggy as his brother was!

Afterwards, both boys were very proud of their new do's.

The only reason they aren't smiling is cause they're boys and trying to be tough but they really were happy!

(and I would have given them cookies, but I didn't have any to give them either Kelly!)

Freedom

Driving home from a friends house today, just listening to music, worshipping and admiring the beauty of God's creation, I heard this song,

When I think about the Lord, How he saved me, How he raised me, how he
filled me with the Holy Ghost, How he healed me to the uttermost
When I think about the Lord, how he picked me up and turned me around, how
he placed my feet on solid ground
It makes me wanna shout, Hallelujah, thank you Jesus, Lord your worthy, of
all the Glory, and all the honor, and all the praise

To think how my walk with the Lord has changed over the years is amazing. Everyday I learn something new about the Lord. Everyday I am compelled to rely only on Him for my needs. He saves, He heals, and He calls me His child. What more do you need to bring a smile to your face in the morning?

It's good to be free :)

The Game of Life

Dave and I love playing board games. We are night owls because of our jobs, so there isn't much to do at two in the morning. So we sometimes will pull out the board games and play for awhile.

I'm REALLY competitive. :)

I hate to lose and I LOVE to win. But then again, who doesn't?

Dave loves monopoly, but at two in the morning I'm not exactly in the mood to play a four hour game. So we usually either settle for Life or for Rummikub.

We played Life a lot growing up. I think my main goal in Life was to pile in as many kids as I could into my little blue car. I think Dave's main goal when we play is to beat me.

This last game of Life that we played was very different from our usual game. Dave was winning! He got the better salary, the better job, and more kids!

Well, we all know Life's not fair. I landed on a little square that read "trade salary card with another player." You can imagine the look on my face as Dave had to fork over his 80,000 dollar salary and I gave him my 20,000 dollar salary. And from there I just landed on all the right spots and made all the right moves. I even ended up with four kids!

My hubby was not happy. I left him with 5,000 dollars.

And I offered to adopt his kids for a small amount of money. Needless to say, I won with....

ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!!!

Wha ha ha!!!!!!

Greatest Moments

Imagine living in a world where you can't understand everything around you. You don't know how to describe things, how to get your point across to people. You talk to loud, you don't have the best manners. You didn't learn how to talk until you were five years old, and now that you know how to, everything comes out all jumbled up. People sometimes stare and sometimes make fun of you....

You're Autistic.

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects one in every two hundred and fifty children. It impacts brain development in the areas of communication and social interaction.

My husband and I were watching the ESPY's today. The ESPY's are ESPN's version of the Oscars or the grammy's. They celebrate sports and athletes just like the others celebrate movie stars and celebrities.

Most of the plays and things they showed were amazing, almost superhuman. You couldn't believe that these plays were being made.

Then they went to the award of greatest moment.

I cried.

The nominees were Kobe Bryant and his game where he scored 81 points in one game. They showed the Chicago White Sox winning the World Series, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers winning the Super Bowl. (NO, I didn't cry because it was the Steelers and not the Bucs!)

And then they showed a 17 year old boy playing basketball.

With Autism.

But he didn't play a whole season, or even a whole game.

He played four minutes.

The last Four minutes of a game on a championship team. He was the equipment manager on the team. He helped the coach set up for practices, helped with drills, and cleaned up afterwards. During games he kept water bottles filled and towels ready for the players. The last game before the championships, the coach let him suit up with no guarantee to play. They got ahead, and with four minutes left, the coach put him in the game.

His first shot didn't even hit the rim, the net, or the backboard.

But then a minute later, he shot a three pointer.

And made it.

And shot another, and made it, and another, and another, and another.

With two minutes left in the game he shot 20 points with a school record of 6 three pointers in a game.

The crowd went crazy, rushed him and threw him up on their shoulders. And for a couple of minutes, a boy that nobody every payed any attention to, got a couple minutes of glory.

And then the news heard about it. He was featured on ESPN, CBS, NBC. 35 different movie companies including Walt Disney have contacted him for movie rights. He met the President.

But without all that, just to see that boy get so excited about what he did. To see his face as his name was called over the loudspeaker as the winner of ESPY's Greatest Moment made me want to jump up and cheer for him.

It's good to see the underdog win.

HOT HOT HOT

ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE DEGREES!! ! 105... CIEN Y CINCO!!! one...zero...five.....

That's how hot it was today...

Not in Florida....

Not in Mexico...

Not in Texas....

IN TULSA OKLAHOMA!!!!!

It shouldn't be this hot here. I mean, you walk out of your house and the humidity hits you like a brick wall.

Last time I checked we were like, almost in the middle of the country...

Ok, before you think I sound like a total baby...

I grew up in Florida. Since I was seven years old I have lived there. I love the heat. Summer is my favorite time of the year. It's hot out, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the beach is waiting. Summer means pool parties, beach bum days, ice cream cones, bathing suits and tanning. I loved walking outside and feeling the heat blast you. I loved wearing shorts and a tank top and sandals. I"M SUCH A FLORIDA GIRL!!!!

But this is ridiculous...

I can take the heat...but I would rather take it on the beach, with an ice cream cone.


Poor Little guy...at least he's on the beach!

Dave's Family

I miss my family.


But it's nice that Dave has family here. His parents used to live here in Tulsa, but they recently moved back to New Hampshire.

I miss them to.

On the brighter side :) Dave has family here. His brother lives here and so does his aunt and uncle. Recently, one of his cousins came to visit and they stayed with his aunt and uncle. We had a morning off, so we were able to get together with them. It's funny, because Dave's family is so much older than my family. When I think of cousins, I think of little kids running around everywhere, and babies to cuddle with.

My dad is the oldest of ten. I think there is 17 or 18 years between him and his youngest baby sister. So I was the first grandaughter and the fourth grandchild in my family. The youngest cousin is about 10 months old and the oldest is 25. I'm 22, so I'm up there. So during family reunions I would always be one of the oldest, would always have to help take care of the younger ones or keep an eye on them. It was fun, and it's still fun to see all the kids run around nowadays.

Dave is one of the younger ones in his family. His dad was the youngest of seven, which made Dave fall into the fourth youngest of all his cousins. So... no kids running around at family reunions unless they are like second couins once removed (or something like that).

SOOO anyways....

We got together with Dave's family this week and it was great. It's just great to know you have people who love you and care about you. I miss family gatherings and things like that. We ate lunch and then just sat around and talked. Nothing special, just good quality time with family.

The far left one is my hubby (cute huh?) The middle one is his cousin George from California, and the far right one is Dave's brother. Yes... look closely, he does have orange hair. Used to be black like Dave's, but it works for him!

NEW TOYS!!!

Dave and I got new toys...

It's amazing what technology can do nowadays. With the simple touch of a button I can send emails, videos, I can use microsoft word and powerpoint, and have all my appointments alarm for me each day. I can search the web, use a gps system, or just use the phone.

I didn't plan on getting this phone. I was going to go with a simple, easy to use phone. Dave was the one who wanted this phone. But then I played with it in the store. And played, and played, and it was like reaching my hand into the candy jar. I LOVED IT!!!

So now Dave and I have the exact same phone. We haven't mixed them up yet, but i'm sure we will sometime. So if you call me and get Dave... sorry, he just thought he was answering HIS phone. (You probably got him all excited) So act like you meant to call him... chat with him for a while, ask him about the weather... THEN ask about me. He won't know the difference!

And of course, I will never make the mistake of thinking my phone is ringing when it's really his ;)

No Fun

Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, headache, sniffling, watery eyes.... Heat packs, ice packs, nyquil, dayquil, thermometor, water, fluids, tissues, tissues, tissues
And a lot of prayer....

Family Ties

I LOVE BABIES!!! Particularly one cute one, my little Nephew Benjamin. He was born December 2, 2005 to the best brother and sister in law in the world! I got to see him when I went home for Christmas, but he was only two to three weeks old. So he basically ate food, drank a bottle and slept. But that's babies for you! When Kevin and Renee came up for my wedding, Benjamin was about 6 months old! And boy was he cute. Sure I scared him a time or two with my big pink cowgirl hat, but I managed to get him to wear it!! Doesn't he look cute!!! Kevin and Renee are so proud of him.

It's funny to see my brother with a baby.

For anybody who doesn't know my brother, he was in the Marine Corps for four years and went and fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. He always seemed so tough and now when I see him with his little boy, he doesn't seem tough at all! He practically looks like a teddy bear himself!! It is kind of sad that I don't know my nephew. I know more about Nathan (my adopted nephew, one of my friends' babies.) than I know about Benjamin! :( Family is so important. I grew up all my life close to family. Both grandparents lived close, so I got to know them really well, and it just seems to me that is the way children should be raised. (instead of the village raising the child, let the family do it) My grandmother spent countless hours answering all my questions about her way of life in the 40's, and answering all my questions about all of my ancestors and relatives. I can name my grandfathers for four generations and tell you what their proffessions were. Maybe trivial, but it helps me know why I can cut my husbands hair (we had a barber in our family) and why I do a whole lot of other things. It's in my genes! Our grandparents have wisdom and knowledge that we would never attain if it wasn't for them. :) I found a quote, that says exactly what I want to say. "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future." Hug someone today :) Call your grandma and grandpa, or your parents, and be thankful you're loved. :)

Some good cooking

I wouldn't say I'm the greatest cook in the world. I can whip up a thing or two and Dave loves it. I love to experiment, and I have to say, since becoming a wife, I find that more and more enjoying. Nothing like having a grown man with an empty stomach to motivate you to cook! The other day I made chicken parmesan for Dave. He thought it was so great, but I got the recipe from a friend. Then I made baked macaroni and cheese... good, but I got the recipe from a friend. So I made some rice krispies for him, and he thought for sure, this was my own recipe. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Kellogs prints it right on the side of the box for you! So i told him that me and my mom made it together when I was a kid, which is entirely true (thanks mom!) but there is no way I would remember all the exact measurements from then. He loved it anyways.

Just tonight I spiced it up a little and made some Rice Krispies treats with peanut butter in them. I know! Daring!! I'm sure he'll love it, because I made it.

I love getting up in the morning and making him breakfast .

To bad he's not a morning person! I know he enjoys it all the same though, and he drags himself out of bed to eat my morning concoctions.

He likes to eat eggs which I am not fond of at all, and for many reasons, but I learned to make him eggs all the same because that is what he wanted. Now, when my mom used to make eggs for my brothers, she would always put cheese in them. So that's what I did, and it sure did confuse Dave's tastebuds, but he loved it all the same.

So, all this makes me hungry... so I will leave you all with a recipe I will pass along... some of you may have it, some of you may want to write it down, and others will think they could never make this! It's not to hard, just follow the instructions!

Ingredients:

Love....acceptance...kindness...gentleness...faith..

.commitment...communication...respect... patience..

.self control...hope...truth

Take 2 happy people (one male and 1 female) and separate them from their parents. Add the above ingredients in generous portions. Mix together and thoroughly sift in daily life. Next, strain out jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, provocation, and accounting of wrongs. Bake in the trials and tribulations of life for about 50 years, then celebrate when Golden!!

This is one recipe Dave and I like to cook together :)

A TRIBUTE TO LOVE

June 29, 1979
WOW!!! Look at those two lovebirds!! Aren't they cute!! CONGRATS mom and dad on twenty seven amazing years. Words cannot express how proud I am of the both of you for sticking in there and showing us kids what love is all about. We have seen you through the worst, and seen you through the best. Thankfully, there have been more good times than bad. I always look back at your relationship and think I have never seen two people more in love. 27 years and you still hold hands when you go places. And mom, don't think I don't see those google eyes that you make at dad. :) Many couples these days have a hard time adjusting when the kids leave the nest. Not you guys!! (I'm sure there was the sniffle here and there). Your love seems to have grown in the four years that I went to college, and I can only hope to have with Dave what you two have together. Three children later and a cute little grandbaby, we are so proud!!!