This Morning's Project

Hannah and I put the double stroller together this morning--not that this is some urgent necessity, but it was in a huge box that added to the chaos in the baby's room. I am trying to get as many big things out of the baby's room as possible, so we can somewhat organize it and possibly even get it together before she makes her debut. I was pleased that the stroller went together easily with no tools. I've had my fill of long projects involving screw drivers and drills over the last week. Anyway, Hannah had a lot of fun testing out the new stroller. There is a lap tray for the front seat, but we will need Daddy's strong arms to snap that one on. Now instead of taking up the baby's room, I guess the stroller will take up the entire back of the van. Haha!

Testing Out The Backyard

We experienced some slightly warmer weather a couple of days ago (I think this was Saturday), so we decided to test out the backyard and let Hannah stretch her legs. Hannah and Daddy had lots of fun running, throwing the football, and tossing Hannah in the air. Our backyard slopes down from the patio, so Hannah also discovered that she likes to roll down the hill.

Hannah runs from Daddy.

Daddy tosses Hannah.

A Break From The Monotony

Hannah and I were in need of a break from boxes and setting up camp, so on Thursday, we met Jonathan for lunch and he gave us a tour of the Imagination Station (the children's science museum where Jonathan is currently employed).

Hannah finds a turtle.

Behind the scenes privileges-- Jonathan took us into the special room where they house more reptiles and the frozen mice and insects for feeding them (yum!!!). Here Hannah and Daddy are talking to Yoshi an iguana.

What's more disgusting than one huge snake? Two snakes laying all over each other. Yes, my husband is now a snake handling pastor--haha!

Headless (or rather bodiless) Hannah.

Hannah tests out the sailboat.

And I've been told I have a big mouth!?!?!? I tried to get Hannah to pose inside the mouth, but she would have nothing to do with it. It is kind of scary!

Hannah's New Room

Hannah enjoys reading in her little reading corner.


Hannah's new big girl bed. Her name is hung above her bed, but the letters have discolored (no longer pure white) and don't show up well, so we will paint them later.


I'm going to paint the yellow accents on this dresser white (in time) and make her a cushioned seat for the top of her toy box, so she can sit and look out the window.


Hannah feeding her baby doll. She seems to be enjoying having all of her toys in her bedroom. I am--clean living room!!! The play room adjoined the living room at our last house, which meant everything migrated into the living room.

Baby Update

Amidst the unpacking and getting settled, we had our first baby appointment in Greenville on Wednesday afternoon. I was already having an emotional day, as it seems the whole moving process (combined with my raging hormones) had finally caught up with me; so, I was not prepared to be so affected by switching OB's. The whole experience from driving to a new town, to signing in at a huge group practice felt totally overwhelming to me. Because Jonathan is now employed at a secular job, this also meant it was his last baby appointment with me. He has been at every baby appointment I have ever had (for all three pregnancies). These are the kinds of things that do not normally affect me, but I found myself fighting back tears as I met with my new doctor (for this week--I'll see someone different each week). I had a good cry in the car on the way home.

Though I was an emotional basket case on Wednesday, I pulled myself together on Thursday and thanked God for the positives: Jonathan was able to go with me to my appointment after only two days on the job, there is a group of OB's who were willing to take me at 35 weeks, the doctor's office and hospital are less than 45 minutes away, and I am healthy and my pregnancy seems to be progressing naturally.

As it turns out, I am about 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. This means I am probably further along than I was when they induced me with Hannah on her due date (due to her size). I know these measurements vary depending on which doctor is examining you, so I will be interested to hear next weeks report. This was a little unsettling for me, as I would like the baby to make it to 37 weeks if possible. But, I know that there are women who walk around dilated and effaced for weeks. The baby's heartbeat was good, and mama gained about 3 pounds--in my defense I was wearing winter clothes and a long sweater. Haha. I'm still a few pounds shy of my final weight with Hannah and way past the acceptable 30 pound weight gain. From what I gathered, they may do an ultrasound at 37 weeks (if I don't go before then) to determine the baby's size and whether or not I should be induced.

I've carried this baby so low for the entire pregnancy, but at this point I look like a woman whose baby has dropped. So people look at me like they should be prepared to catch the baby if it falls out. I feel great though, and I have had lots of energy and drive to get the house organized. I'm down to our bedroom and the baby's room-- and then of course all of those homeless things that are just floating around the house. Thank you for your continued prayer support. Our prayer now is that baby girl will stay put until she is fully developed, and that everything will flow smoothly. We know that God is in perfect control, and it will all work out according to his divine plan. I do not know what I would do without that assurance.

Such A Big Girl

Hannah thinks she is the stuff now that she has a stool that elevates her to sink level. Our new bathrooms have mirrors that she (and I) can see in when at the sink. Here are some photos of her brushing her teeth on her new stool in her new "big girl" pajamas (or kajamas--as she calls them).


Such a big girl.


She talks to herself in the mirror. Here are some things I have heard her saying, "Oh there you are, you're so cute!" "You gonna brush your teef. . . you are precious." I think we are dealing with some pride issues here! Haha.


Get those molars!

Additional Pictures

For more moving pictures, visit my sister-in-law Kim's blog.

Moving Pic's

Hannah inspects one of the two large moving trucks parked in front of our house in Clewiston. Don't worry, we only used one truck, and our stuff only filled up about 1/5 of the truck.


Living in an empty house--Hannah watches a DVD on the air mattress on the last day in our Clewiston home.


We broke up our trip by spending Wednesday night at Mom's house in Jacksonville. Poppy and Shirley were down visiting, so we were able to spend some time with them. Hannah was very excited to see her Great Poppy and G.G.


We arrived in Wilson on Thursday night, but we stayed with Tim and Carol Dale. On Friday morning, we arrived at our house to find a "Welcome to Wilson" sign draped on the front of our house. Our new church had hung the banner and greeted us with a box full of maps, gift certificates, and goodies.


Hannah stands in front of our white picket fence--how quaint.


Hannah checks on the progress inside the truck.


Hannah was very sad when the electronics were returned to their rightful home (inside the armoire) a few days later.


Hannah and Philip shopping at Target on one of our many moving errands. There are always multiple errands associated with moving. But, hey--Target's down the street from me now!!!


Silly cousins!!! I love this picture! Hannah and Philip are singing "I'm in the Lord's Army."

We're Here!

We are here, we are well, we are tired, and we are finally online! We arrived Thursday night without a hitch. Our moving truck arrived bright and early Friday morning, and I've been organizing and unpacking ever since then. Jonathan's family joined us for the weekend. They were a huge help moving boxes, unpacking, etc. We enjoyed our first Sunday morning worship service at Christ Baptist church, though I spent the majority of the service consoling Hannah in the nursery--she wasn't a happy girl in her new environment. Hannah is experiencing many changes right now, and it won't settle down until well after the baby comes. So, I am trying to make her feel special and help her to be excited about her new house, church, surroundings, etc. Jonathan started work at the Imagination Station yesterday. He is happy to begin figuring out his new routine. I spent the afternoon trying to locate and unpack all of his books, so he can also begin focusing on his ministry, as he will be teaching for the first time on Sunday night. Where all of the books will go is a mystery. We are trying to be very creative with shelving, but it is difficult to move a pastor's entire office into his home.

We continue to see God's merciful and providential hand at work. He has provided for our family in amazing ways. Thank you for your encouragement and prayer support. Our friends and family have played a vital role over the last few weeks, and we cannot sufficiently express our gratitude to you all.

Well . . . back to work!!!

Signing Off

Well, I am signing off for now, because the movers come bright and early tomorrow morning. Please pray for us, as it will be a very late night--there is much to be done before tomorrow morning. We will leave for Jacksonville on Wednesday night after church. My Poppy and his wife Shirley are currently staying in St. Augustine, so we will get to visit with them on Thursday morning at Mom's house. Then, we will hit the road for Wilson sometime in the early afternoon. God willing, the movers will arrive sometime on Friday or Saturday.

I'm off to pack! Thanks for your continued prayer support.

34 Week Baby Update

We had our last OB appointment with Dr. Murray today. Everything looks good. Baby girl has a healthy heartbeat and Mama didn't gain any weight over the last two weeks . . . moving will do that for you. Dr. Murray handed over a copy of my records, and I will meet with my new OB on Wednesday January 24th.

A Sunday Of "Lasts"

Sunday was bittersweet--a sad day and a joyful day. We had a day of many "lasts." It was Hannah's last Sunday at the only church she knows. This body of believers welcomed her into the world and have faithfully loved her every day since then. We attended our last Sunday School classes, Sunday morning, and Sunday evening worship services at First Baptist of Clewiston. Jonathan preached his last sermon at the church where he was ordained, and I spent my last Sunday morning running around and organizing people as the Nursery Director. While it is sad to leave a body of believers we have served and loved for over three years, we found great joy as we reflected on what God has accomplished in and through us.

Though we will attend the Wednesday evening service before we leave for Jacksonville, Hannah received lots of hugs and kisses. She spent her last Sunday School hour with Miss Grace and Miss Debbie--two women who love her dearly and have cared for her for the last two years.

Pastor Brian called for a special time of prayer for our family during the Sunday evening service. It was a wonderful thing to hear our brothers and sisters petitioning the Father for our safety and our ministry. It has brought us great joy to hear those we love here (in Clewiston) express their desire for the gospel to go forth in Wilson.

After the service, the church held a dinner in our honor. We enjoyed the food and fellowship of our friends for the last time (this side of glory). I was doing well (emotionally) until Brian had our dear friends Barb and Bob Buker say a few words about our ministry and time here. I lost it!!! As I listened to them talk about our friendship and ministry, and then give God the glory for His sovereignty and providence, I just sat there and cried. They are two of our dearest friends, and they love the Lord with all their hearts. As Bob said, despite our age differences (they are our parents' age), different backgrounds, etc. it is the bond of Christ that allowed us to become such close friends. We will stay in touch with the Bukers, but we will miss them greatly.

As I said, it was a bittersweet day. Though it was a day full of "lasts," it was wonderful to end the day with the prayers, warm wishes, and hugs from brothers and sisters in Christ.

Hannah and Nathan in Sunday School.

Want To Hear Something Funny?

As I was cataloguing our books on LibraryThing and packing them in boxes, I decided to leave two new books I had purchased out of the boxes. . . you know, just in case I had time to sit down and finish the other books I'm currently reading and needed something new to read. Funny huh? I don't think I have picked up a book (other than my Bible for my daily Bible reading) since we returned home from my Mom's over Christmas and started packing. I take that back, I did pick up 1776 last night and carry it into the living room at 10:30. I don't think I ever opened it, and Jonathan had to wake me up to go to bed, as I had fallen asleep on the couch. Anyway, I saw those two books sitting on the desk this morning, and I laughed out loud.

Packing is coming along, and yet doesn't seem to be progressing. I've reached the point where I want to pack a few suitcases and leave everything else behind . . . perhaps live in a tent. As a Navy brat who has spent her whole life moving, you would think I would learn not to hoard, but I am also an American, so collecting "stuff" is in my blood. Here are a few things I have noticed (or have recently been reminded of) about moving:

• You fill up as much space as you have- We moved from a two bedroom apartment to a 4 bedroom house with a garage. It only took 3 years to fill up this house.
• When you're packing to move, you're "stuff" multiplies when you aren't looking- We had a large moving sale, and I have packed up the majority of our belongings, yet I can leave a room and return only to find (seemingly) more "stuff" than when I had previously left the room.
• When everything is packed, you will still find "stuff" in each cabinet and closet. So, invest in some large garbage bags- Every move I have ever made, whether it be from a dorm room, apartment, house, etc. results in my taking a garbage bag, walking around and just chucking things . . . thus proving my theory that Americans hoard unnecessary "stuff."
• When you're moving, your potty trained toddler will revert to using the bathroom whenever and wherever she so chooses- No further explanation necessary.

This has been a thoroughly sarcastic post for the sake of humor. Things are going well, and we are excited to be in the midst of this process. God as shown that He is in perfect control, as He continues to bless us in unforeseen ways.

A New Year, A New Direction

As most of you know by now, we recently announced that the Lord is calling us in a new direction. God, in His providence, presented us with an opportunity to join a church plant effort in Wilson, NC. Jonathan and I spent several months praying over this, as we wanted to correctly discern the Lord's will for our ministry and His glory. To make a long story short, God made it abundantly clear (and continues to make it clear daily) that this was His will for our family. Because I am in my third trimester, we knew things would have to move very quickly in regards to our move. Brian, our current Pastor, has been very supportive and loving--praying with Jonathan through the whole process. While we are very excited about what God has in store, it is always difficult to leave a place where you have labored together with brother's and sister's in Christ. Jonathan addressed the church on New Year's Eve, explaining our decision and God's calling on his life. Our dear friends at First Baptist Church have been very encouraging and supportive.

Jonathan will be serving as Associate Pastor in our new church. Due to the fact that we are joining a church plant, Jonathan has had to seek secular employment and raise financial support. This has been a huge step of faith for our family. We have been very humbled by God's grace, as He has continued to show us that He will provide. We have been blessed with a secular job, financial support that we did not solicit, a new OB (who was willing to take me at 35 weeks), a three bedroom apartment, and much more. To God be the glory.

Please pray for us, as we will be experiencing many changes. I am currently up to my elbows in boxes, and trying not to push too hard as I am currently 33 weeks pregnant. We had a huge moving sale this past weekend and were able to get rid of a lot of the stuff we had accumulated living in a large house. I have one more OB appointment with Dr. Murray on the 15th, at which time he will hand over my records, and we will all pray that baby girl will stay put for a couple more weeks. The movers come on Tuesday the 16th, and we will leave Clewiston after our Wednesday evening service on the 17th. As I said, this is all happening very quickly. Thank you for your prayer and support!

Sayonara Braces!!!

Today was an exciting day, as the final chapter in the adult braces saga was officially closed. I got my bottom braces off today, and I am thrilled to be totally braces free. Now I can smile and talk while eating with friends. However, I would still appreciate it if you would tell me when I have something stuck in my teeth!

32 Week Baby Update: A Week Late

I am posting this update a week late, but oh well. We had our 32 week check up last Monday, and all is well. The baby's heartbeat is in the 140's as it should be, and I am measuring big for 32 weeks--no surprise there. Mama gained 6 pounds between visits, and I have only 7 pounds to go until I reach my final weight with Hannah--yikes!

Hannah is really beginning to enjoy the baby visits. I told her we were going to the doctor, and she said, "For baby sister?" When I asked her what the doctor would do to check baby sister, she put her hand on her tummy and one on her ear and made the baby heartbeat noise, "woo, woo, woo, woo, woo." So cute!!! We have been trying to explain that baby sister will be coming out of Mommy's tummy soon and she will get to see her, hold her, and kiss her. I think she thinks we're crazy. When we asked her, "How will baby sister get out of Mommy's tummy?" she pointed to her belly button and said, "And the belly button and out woosh." Interesting theory!

Christmas '06; Part 2

We traveled to Jacksonville on Sunday the 24th after our Christmas Eve morning service at church. We arrived in Jacksonville in time for dinner and then dessert with Katie, Jimmy, and Jimmy's family. Hannah was very excited to see everybody! On Christmas morning, we read Hannah the story of Jesus's birth and talked about why we celebrate Christmas. Then, we let Hannah open her presents SLOWLY! We wanted Hannah to enjoy each present as she opened it and have time to appreciate the gift she had just received. We try to keep Christmas gift giving fairly small, as Hannah has more than she needs and receives gifts throughout the year. Jonathan and I gave Hannah baby doll supplies this year. We wanted her to be able to take care of her babies while Mommy was caring for the new baby. She loved her diaper bag full of bottles, sippy cups, pretend soap and lotion, etc. In the afternoon, we headed across the street to the Whitlock's house (Jimmy's parents), where we exchanged gifts with Aunt Katie, Uncle Jimmy, Jim, and Deb. It was a wonderful Christmas, and it was very nice to be with family and to be a guest instead of the hostess for a change (We've been at our house for the last two Christmases and three Thanksgivings.).

We were able to stay in Jacksonville through Wednesday evening. The rest of the visit was spent relaxing, playing games, and shopping for a double stroller. Can I just say those things are huge!!! We finally settled on one, and my mom bought it for us as our baby gift--thanks mom!


Hannah checks out her new baby doll supplies.


Hannah tests her art easel from Grammy.


Merry Christmas!


Hannah has fun visiting with Deb and Jim. Miss Deb has a very large Little People Collection, so Hannah was thrilled to play with all of her Christmas Little People.


Jimmy, Hannah, Katie, Mom, Jonathan, Me, and Buddy (at the bottom).

Christmas '06; Part 1

We let Hannah open Christmas presents from Jonathan's family in the days prior to Christmas so that we wouldn't have to take extra presents with us to Jacksonville. One of her favorite gifts was a wooden ABC block set from Matthew, Kim, and Philip. She comes up to me (big bag of blocks in hand) daily and says, "Play blocks togever mommy? Wanna play blocks wiff me?" One night Hannah and Daddy constructed a race track for her hot wheels. They even made a grand stand where they sat Dora, Boots, and Diego figurines.






Hannah and her friends had a birthday celebration for Jesus in Sunday School on Christmas Eve. After singing, they each got to blow out a candle on their own cup cake.