Almost Here!!!

Elianna is almost here! We go in tomorrow evening to begin "the process". We are excited and nervous at the same time. Please pray that everything goes well! As soon as anything happens, we will be sure to post it!

Flat Stanley Goes to Walmart

The other night we took Flat Stanley to Walmart but not just any Walmart ... a super Walmart! Now this may not seem like Flat Stanley material to some but when you live in a state that "outlaws" super Walmarts and then you realize there is a brand new super Walmart just over the PA border only 20 minutes away - it becomes Flat Stanley material! It was wonderful except that Flat Stanley kept wanting me to buy everything and I had to keep telling him no and then he had a meltdown in the middle of Walmart and we had to take a trip to the bathroom ... just kidding. That was me imagining my life in about a year - unless, of course, Elianna is perfect (just like her daddy . . . like her mother? . . . ok, nevermind).

Surprise!!!

Last Saturday while my Chris was out of town, Wendy and I made plans to go to a large maternity store and then were headed to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Little did I know that it was all a con! Well, not all because we really did go to the maternity store and The Cheesecake Factory except when we arrived at The Cheesecake Factory all "the girls" were there! They decided to throw me a mini shower.

Starting on the left: Me, Kelly, Stacy, Cheri, Karan and Wendy (across from me)

They put my friend Cheri in charge of decorations because she is so crafty. On the table at The Cheesecake Factory was a small fishbowl with rocks on the bottom and a flower along with a yellow rubber ducky floating on top. There was also a chinese to-go box as a favor and inside was little marshmallows with a little yellow rubber ducky on top (he was floating around on "bubbles"). Have you noticed the theme yet? Yellow rubber ducks. It was so cute!

After we ate dinner and ordered our cheesecake to-go, we all headed back to Cheri's house. She outdoes herself every time. Instead of describing it all to you, please enjoy the shower through pictures (it does it much more justice then my rambling anyway).

Isn't this the cutest cake???

Little chocolates - she used the same candy mold but instead froze water for ducky ice cubes.

The little diapers were filled with colored M&Ms.

Wendy gave me a bunch of labor and delivery "essentials" to take to the hospital with us (ie: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, blog unmentionables). It was a very practical gift - I'm sure I either would have 1) forgotten half the stuff or 2) not known I needed it. Cheri gave me a diaper "cake" and then all the "girls" pitched in and got us our stroller / car seat combination. It was so much fun and, I must say, I am very proud of everyone for not spilling it to me because I was totally surprised!

Just a Taste

We have received our flat houseguest and today he went to work with Chris. Here is just a taste of what went on:

A youth pastor's work is never dull!

Weeks 37-? - Watermelon

I'm not quite sure how I feel about my stomach being compared to a watermelon. Hopefully it is one of those nice round seedless watermelons instead of the oblong kind with black seeds all through it. I guess I could just be thankful it isn't a square watermelon. Square? Whoever thought of a square watermelon???

Actually if the old wives tale is true about heartburn equaling a hairy baby, the watermelon would be covered in hair!

Just Monkeying Around

I guess it is about time to update the bog, huh? I've been a little on the cautious side about blogging recently. Having read recently that "crimes are being committed as a result of people constantly posting their whereabouts on Twitter, Facebook, bulletin boards in grocery stores, or in Thrifty Nickel (who does the last 2?); criminals are using that information to know when the house will be empty so they can break in and rob someone blind", I haven't blogged anything because it, well, it involves my Chris being gone. But I've decided to live dangerously (and if you are a criminal and reading my blog first let me say congratulations - you've stuck through much just to find out that my Chris is gone and second I sleep with a machete under my mattress and may have some other weapons of choice available that I will fail to mention here - let's just define it as "element of surprise.") Whew! That will teach them, huh? Did I sound mean and dangerous enough??? :)

Anyway, Harley and I have been hanging out (no pun intended) this week working on being lazy and also on getting Elianna's room together. We've pretty much got the lazy part down but still have stuff left to do on Elianna's room. Never fear though, it will be done before she comes seeing as my doctor told me this morning to not plan on going early because nothing is going on. Not really what I wanted to hear this morning. Oh well, at least we will have time enough to get more stuff done.

Chris is in Florida along with 11 teens and 2 leaders on a missions trip. They are having a great time down there. They left bright and early Monday morning and arrived in Florida late Tuesday evening. Wednesday they received "training" on how to share the Gospel with others. Yesterday (Thursday) they spent at Busch Gardens - gotta have a little fun after spending 2 days in a crowded van with the thought of 2 more days in the same crowded van in order to get home. Today they were planning on going to a park and share the Gospel with others. Tomorrow they will be at a big car show again sharing the Gospel. After attending church Sunday morning, they will begin the loooong trip home. Then comes the best day!!! Monday!!! The day my Chris is expected home! Harley and I cannot wait! 7 sleeps is a long time to be away from him.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Spicy Drawers

Well, it's actually just one drawer but the title sounded so much more fun than that. Anyway . . . Mom saw the spice drawer in our kitchen and loved it so much she said I must blog about it. Wow that didn't sound as exciting on the computer as in my head. However, I simply do love my spice drawer and am very proud of my Chris for coming up with such a great idea!

Showers of Blessings

On Saturday, July 25 the church ladies had a baby shower for me. Boy am I glad that the word "shower" is simply a metaphor! It took 2 hours to open all the gifts and that was with me simply opening a gift, holding it up, smiling, saying thank you and handing it to my friend Wendy who packed them all up for me. Chris and I had to go back through all the gifts so not only he could see what we got but so that I could remember since we were flying through them! We got alot of things we needed and many many duplicates of things which all equals out to taking them back and getting the other things I needed. The one item we did not receive alot of was diapers. I was expecting a ton and only got 1 box of swaddlers (plus a gift card to Walmart from Mom toward diapers). Guess we will be using some gift cards toward diapers since they are quite the necessity for a newborn. Actually, Chris saw the box of diapers (152 count) and said, "Well, these will last us maybe a week." Haha! He's got the Daddy insight already!

Deliciously yummy cake courtesy of my friend, Karan who went above and beyond "normal" baby shower cake ordering! She ordered it from a great German bakery - the price was well worth it!

Mom knows my baby girl MUST have cutie shoes to wear - even at birth!

Warm and snuggly snow outfit for Elianna to wear on the short walk to church! Thanks mom!

Grandmother made this beautiful blanket along with a white crochet blanket for Elianna.

My teen girls decided to make me a "hat" out of all the bows and ribbon from the shower. Lovely isn't it?

These are my girls. Kelly, Me, Wendy and Karan

Please ignore my face in this picture but instead focus on what I am holding up. Karan (sitting next to me in the picture) had this made for Elianna. Isn't it beautiful? It will be going right above her bed - assuming her room gets painted and together before she is born. :)