And we're back

This is what has happened since last time I blogged:

August: I got hired to teach 5th grade. Six days before school started. I worked a lot with the 5th grade team last year and I felt beyond blessed to be chosen to join them this year. Although, 6 days is not a lot of time to get a classroom set up and wrap your brain around teaching 5th grade.

September: I started getting to know 22 ten year olds who have so far this year have made me laugh much more than they've made me cry. (I don't think I've actually cried yet...just felt like it).

I also visited my sister, brother in law and one week old niece. Being an aunt is the best! We shared lots of cuddles and a major diaper blow out, too.

October: I can't really think of anything big that happened this month...Halloween with 5th graders was not that fun...neither was the day after Halloween, but we survived.

November: Annie came to visit! We had so much fun showing her around Austin- the weather was beautiful and we ate A LOT of really good food. I really love that girl! I have no pictures of our adventures because she never sent them to me (HINT HINT, if you're reading this, Annie).

We headed to Houston for Thanksgiving with Chris, Connie and the girls. By the end of Thanksgiving Day we were starting to feel very suspicious that this:

might be the case. This was right before church and we decided to keep the secret to ourselves for a little while, but we were afraid that we would not be able to act normal. We pulled it off though.

December: My sister, brother-in-law and niece came to Austin. We had so much fun!

I gave this to my sister for Christmas. She was excited. Brian was confused.

We drove to Alabama right after Brian, Alaura and Adalee left. I was really nervous about being in the car for that long, but it all turned out okay. We gave a picture frame similar to the one above to Andy's parents the night we got there. Alaura brought my parents and other sister theirs and our secret was officially out of the bag to our families and close friends.

January: This accessory was added to the front seat of the car after a bad experience with driving to work and scrambled eggs. Turned out to be much worse for Andy than it was for me. Hence, his insistence on my new traveling companion:

We went to the Austin Area Birthing Center for our first appointment. We heard an amazingly fast heartbeat and saw our little one moving around on the ultrasound screen. It was so exciting, and very surreal. We took these home as our souvenier:

Top right is the head, bottom left the rump. Baby measured a little over one inch- 10 weeks exactly.

Close up of baby's face, with the hand on the left, next to the mouth. I know, it's hard to see/understand. I still think it's cute.

I am 14 weeks right now, feeling much better, and the cat is officially out of the bag- we are having a baby! August 3rd is the due date. I'm really looking forward to looking pregnant instead of like I've eaten too much junk food and of course, to feeling the baby move in the next few weeks (hopefully...it can be anywhere from 14-22 weeks before that first kick is felt for sure).

I have officially wasted a large portion of my morning collecting pictures from various sources and putting this blog together. Saturday mornings are supposed to be set aside for doing homework. Oops. The good news is that next week is three days of professional development in my district. Three days without kids. Don't get me wrong, I do love them. But I find they are much cuter when I haven't seen them for a while. :)

Hopefully I will be a little better about blogging, now that there are more exciting things to blog about. :)

Church

I love our church. People always ask if we've found a good church in Austin, and they are surprised to know that we didn't church hop when we first moved here. We knew that we needed a place with solid teaching, and people who would love us. Crosspointe offered both on our first Sunday; so we stayed. It was really tempting to look for a church with a hopping young adult program where we could meet a lot of people our age, but we decided to keep our focus on how we could serve the church rather than how the church could serve us.

It has turned out to be a great decision. We don't have a lot of friends our age there, but we have people who would drop anything to help us if we needed it. And most importantly, we are part of the living, breathing, serving, worshiping Church. Every Sunday is so encouraging and refreshing. The leaders of our church are committed to loving God and loving his people.

I learned this song from our phenomenal worship team (I'm sure it's old, but I just learned it) and I love it. The words are simple, the tune is bluesy, and the truth is powerful.

I have a hope, I have a future

I have a destiny that is yet awaiting me

My life’s not over, a new beginning’s just begun

I have a hope, I have this hope

 

God has a plan, it’s not to harm me

But it’s to prosper me and to hear me when I call

He intercedes for me, working all things for my good

Though trials may come I have this hope

 

Chorus

I will yet praise Him, my great Redeemer

I will yet stand up and give Him glory with my life

He takes my darkness and He turns it into light

I will yet praise Him, my Lord my God

 

My God is for me, He’s not against me

So tell me whom then, tell me whom then shall I fear

He has prepared for me

Great works He’ll help me to complete

I have a hope, I have this hope

 

Goodness and mercy, they’re gonna follow me

And I’ll forever dwell in the house of my great King

No eye has ever seen all He’s preparing there for me

Though trials may come, I have this hope

 

Bridge

There’s still hope for me today

‘Cause the God heaven loves me 

-Tommy Walker

Summer Vacation

We just got back from nearly 3 weeks of vacation. We worked hard for the first half of the summer and played hard for the last part.

My dad came with us for the first week. He flew to Austin and then we drove from Austin to Gulf Shores, and stopped in New Orleans for a couple of days. We had been there before, but only for a few hours. It was really fun to be able to spend time and enjoy more than one restaurant, since there are so many delicious ones. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from NOLA.

Nothing says French Quarter like wrought iron and lots of plants!

Jackson Square

Carriage ride at dusk

Then we headed to Gulf Shores where our goal was to spend time with Andy's family and friends, enjoy the beach and eat lots of seafood. All three goals were accomplished.

White sand and turquoise water- what more can you ask for?

Kissy faces on the beach.

On the way home we stopped to visit friends we met in Malawi- the Evans and their new baby, Jack, the Jones family in the Mississippi delta, and the Kilpatricks in Ruston, LA. It was so good to be with people who knew us in Malawi. What a special connection the mission field creates between people. Here is a picture of me with 7 week old Jack Nolan Evans. 

Sweet sleepy baby

School starts on Monday and classes start the following week. I am so glad we had a break before we go back to the grind!

4th of July traditions

I have spent very few 4th of Julys in civilization. Usually I am in the middle of nowhere, enjoying the great outdoors. This is the first year in 20 years that I haven't been camping for the Fourth of July!

Tonight in my class (yes, Andy and I had class on Independence Day...) we did a presentation that was supposed to tell something unique about us and I shared these pictures.

The view from the bottom, where we camp.

2010- married for a week!

1991- Kelsea and I on our first trip to the river!

Despite the evidence that this picture presents, I actually do like it there. I'm pretty sure my dad woke me up to take this picture, which made me upset. Then I got upset about the scratchy grass and the bugs. Oh, the memories. Thanks for forcing the picture, Dad!

Life in Austin

Things I love about Austin:

1. The weather. We have recently bid spring (85 degrees) goodbye and have greeted summer (99 degrees). While I do feel that 99 is too hot for things like hiking and running, I think it's excellent for swimming, tanning and reading outside. I much prefer the latter activities anyway, so 99 is fine by me!

2. The skyline. Austin has a really trendy feel to it and the skyline seems trendy to me too. It's nice to hang out down town like we did today. I felt pretty trendy laying in the grass at Zilker park reading a book about Zimbabwe (which is really good in a really horrible sort of way). We even gave people directions twice. That's right, we're basically locals.

3. The hill country. We live right on the edge of the really pretty part of "hill country." The other day I went on a field trip and we drove out past some really pretty parts! Visiting some wineries and state parks in the hill country is on our to do list for the summer.

Apartment living

It's weird to live in an apartment complex. It's kind of awkward, socially. We recognize the same people, and we are always friendly and they are friendly back, but anything beyond a "Hey, how are you?" is crossing the unspoken boundaries.

The exception to this is at the pool. Anyone can be friends at the pool! Although the time I'm most aware of the fact that I live in Texas is when I visit the pool. Stereotypical, beer drinking, beer bellied, tattooed, loud TEXANS. I've seen two tattoos that have been particularly...mmm, redneck. First, in giant letters across the back: TEXAS (with Austin and Houston written smaller below). Second, in giant letters across his chest: WHITE TRASH. I only wish I was making this up. Let's just say the pool is best in small doses.

Speaking of the joys of apartment living, I'm pretty sure my upstairs neighbors are going to come through the ceiling one of these days. Like maybe any minute.

Oregon- Part 1: a wedding and a niece

Now that my sister has been married for more than a month, I don't feel like I have much to blog about! I've been waiting for pictures, but I don't have any yet.

First, let me say that I can't believe my baby sister is married. I was so much more emotional at her wedding than I was at my own! The ceremony was beautiful and so simple. She looked beautiful in her cowboy boots and dress with pockets!

The newly weds are doing well, they were meant for each other. Now that the wedding is over they are preparing for their next big adventure in life: the arrival of my niece, Adalee Megan Taggart.

I can't wait to meet the little monkey! I think she has my nose. ;-)