20 week sonogram

Well, today we found out that we're having another girl!
Hannah was thrilled, of course, and I don't think Isaac was all that surprised. He has his own theories...feel free to ask him...as to why there are so many girls on my side of the family. But I'm pretty sure science is on my side....that and I've always pictured Isaac outnumbered, poor guy. But won't he be a great dad to teenage girls?! Boys will and should be very afraid.
But seriously, I thank God everyday for the protective father and husband that Isaac is to us.

Some photos of our little girl:


I think we may have a little thumb sucker.....


Supposedly, the three lines are proof we've got a little girl.

He's gonna kill me, but I can't help myself....

Well, Hannah and I made the long trek to Oshkosh in one day. I was determined to get it done, and luckily, Hannah cooperated. It was sweet to see Isaac walking to meet us on the stretch of dirt road leading to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Apparently he missed us as much as we missed him. =)

I love coming here. There's something about this place that makes me feel safe, relaxed, loved. My grandparents have always been these things for all of us.

Now we're off to my mom's place, then on to the mountains tomorrow. It will be a bit chaotic, but lots of firsts for Hannah and time with family.

Sidenote:
By the way, if you ever wonder what Isaac does, he was interviewed here.

Counting my blessings

It's been a rough day, or at least it has felt that way to me. But I need some perspective, so I'm remembering a few things I'm thankful for:

1. The way my friends love Hannah. They are good to Isaac and I as well, but they are so very good to my girl. I know they love her and she loves them right back.
2. My family. I still get sad at how far we all live apart, but I love them and appreciate more and more the ways they have shaped me into the person I now am.
3. My in-laws. I couldn't ask for more love, understanding, and sacrificial support....and I definitely don't deserve it.
4. My neighbors. Quirky (aren't we all?). Very helpful. They've gotten me into my locked house, lengthened the life of our vehicles, mowed our lawn, watched our dog, the list goes on....
5. Money. It never seems as if there's enough. But I still get to stay at home. Thank you, God.
6. Isaac's job and his hard work to do it well and provide for us. That isn't mentioned enough.
7. Modern conveniences. Many things may have broken down in the last several days, but I HAVE them, and don't necessarily NEED them.
8. Twizzlers pull-n-peel. Petty, yes, but very delicious.
9. The plethora of parks in our town. Vickie came over (see #1) so I could get out for a bit by myself...and I just sat in the sun at one of our beautiful parks.
10. Puzzles-what I brought with me for #9.....I love the way it relaxes me, yet exercises my brain at the same time.
11. Our dining table and patio. Nothing spectacular, but the conversations that have taken place have been good, challenging, enlightening, entertaining, and memorable.
12. Tonight's opportunity to ask Hannah for forgiveness. I've been very impatient with her and it's not all her fault. It's a reminder of my shortcomings and need for Jesus.

A must see

Hannah and I spent a couple hours at the pool with LoLo on Saturday. And we've discovered that H is quite the dancer and entertainer. LoLo posted it on her blog here. A bonus if you can identify what song she is dancing to. =)

I haven't tackled the first floor windows yet, but I was hosting my book group, so suddenly I felt the drive to clean, clean, clean!
Here's my list of accomplishments for the day:
-read a chapter of our book
-read the comics with Hannah
-swept and mopped the entire house
-dusted & straightened (with Hannah's help)
-2 loads of laundry
-made peanut butter scotchies for the book group
-washed, dried, and put away the dishes
-mowed the lawn
-watered the garden and plants
-swept the patio
-showered
-bathed Hannah
-scheduled the refrigerator repairman
-quick trip to Walmart-quick and Walmart usually don't go together, but today must have been my day!
-filled gas tank-even went inside to get my favorite Polar Pop
-and STILL managed to complete 85% of my daily puzzles!! (gotta keep my priorities straight)

I do realize that this list is nothing to some of you overachievers. But at times, I guess it just takes the knowledge that people will be coming over to see my mess to move me to do something about it.
I'm pooped.
Good night, Internet.

Isaac is gone for two weeks to "write a small book so he can get a floppy hat." Or to finish his thesis...however you want to look at it. He's promised to post his progress daily on his blog.

Since he's been working non-stop....the basement while he was home, and now deep into his books....I feel like I need to pick up the pace around here while he's gone. So today, I started washing the windows. Turns out I don't fully know what I'm doing, but I still managed wash all the 2nd floor exterior windows. It was a very good thing Vickie stopped by or I would have flooded the house. So now onto the first floor tomorrow....

Playing Tag

Laurie tagged me, and this gives me something to post, so here goes:

My Joys:
*Hannah
*Anticipating baby #2
*Spending quality time with people I love.

My Fears:
*Money. Yuck. Still trying to be a better manager of it.
*Wasting my life on petty, temporary goals.
*Being too much of a know-it-all that I push people away.

My Goals:
*Accept myself as God does.
*Love and care for my family and friends.
*Running another marathon....Chicago 2009.

My Current Obsessions/Collections:
*'Crosswords, sudoku, and cryptoquip....no big surprise to anyone, I'm sure.
*Waffles. Not very healthy, the the waffle iron is rather dangerous, but oh the heavenly breakfasts I'm having!!!
(update: I sadly had to throw it away. Supposedly it's a fire hazard when the plug is VERY warm to the touch and the entire appliance exudes a burning rubber smell....)
*My coupon collection....I know, no surprise here either.

Random Surprising Facts About Me:
*My blood type is B negative.....I know, shocking, huh?
*I really, really dislike seafood.
*I don't know....I'm probably more of an open book than I care to admit.

Alright...now it's my turn to tag 4 people:

1. my sisters
2. my childhood friend Jen, from Iowa.....I think you might read this periodically. =)
3. Babs (Sorry, Vickie. I stole a tag from you!)
4. Steph

Emma Kay Forman

Yesterday, we spent a good chunk of the day waiting for her arrival.....and here she is!
7 lbs. 12oz. 19.5 inches long. lots of dark hair!
Congratulations, Chris and Gretchen!

The new parents....



Uncle Isaac delivering food.....


Her first bath...

Her daddy admiring her soft hair.

11 weeks

Dear baby,
This week was technically our first meeting and I was so very excited and relieved to see your heartbeat. I will continue to pray that you will grow to become a healthy little one.

You have a big sister who, for a few months now, has been praying you would come....and is honing her teaching skills. I'm pretty sure she feels the urgency to learn everything there is to learn. "Why?" and "How come?" are her favorite and most often asked questions.

Your daddy is also preparing for your arrival. As I write this, he is finishing our basement...so you and your sister have a space to play and that we can have room for your nursery. So far, I'm just trying to feed you the right things....and trying to stay away from the wrong ones...which is harder than I'd like.

There will be many more people to introduce you to and and even more things to tell you. But for now, I just want you to know you are loved and we cannot wait to meet you.

Love,
your mama

Just call me fashionista

I'm not much of a trend setter. In fact, once I find a shirt I like, I usually just buy that same shirt in several colors. I usually start liking whatever the "new" thing months or even years after it's been around.

Over the past year, I've dreadfully noticed how the 80's styles are coming back. But I've recently discovered how much I loved a specific style of shirt. It reminds me of my favorite outfit in junior high. I LOVED this burgundy and black striped shirt with black leggings I bought at Maurices. I think I also had a green and navy striped one as well....Paris Sport Club. Do you remember it? Designed for daring teenage girls like me.

So here's the official shirt of the summer for me....I already have one in grey and black. I know, so very adventurous of me. But I even bought leggings! Now I just have to muster up the nerve to wear them.

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you are being pursued, but you can't move because it feels as if your feet are cemented to the ground? Or the dream where you somehow forget to get dressed before you head off to school, then the rest of the dream is spent desperately and futilely trying to get some sort of clothing on?

Well, these last several days have felt a little like that. It recently dawned on me that I never printed Laurie's newsletters, just emailed them....that was on April 8th! April 8th!

So I went to print and the old printer is discontinued and my computer no longer has a driver for it. So I find the driver online....and still doesn't work. Isaac says he'll have to get a CD from work. I can't wait that long, so I grab our other printer.
Out of ink. Of course. I go to refill the cartridge, take it home, still doesn't work. After 3 more trips, I am able to print 9 newsletters. Out of 108.

So this morning, I drive to Walmart and purchase new cartridges. Should have bought 2 sets. You'd think I have learned.

So far, I have about 40 completed (along with an additional apology/take responsibility for the tardiness schpeel) which my computer has printed at an agonizingly slow pace (I need more ram or something, Isaac says).

Okay, so it may not be as bad as public nudity, but this newsletter, of ALL newsletters is time sensitive. AARRGH!!!
What was I thinking?! I guess it doesn't matter at this point, but I'm looking forward to this heightened heart rate and sense of panic to subside.

the Sauder girls & kids

Hannah and I had a really nice time in Omaha catching up with my sisters and being amazed at how much the babies have grown. Here are a few pictures from the weekend:
(This has been sitting in my unpublished posts, waiting for me to add comments, but it's taken too long already. So feel free to suggest the appropriate captions.)

I saw a fox on the trail this morning.....a FOX!!

Update in pictures

Lots of activity here the last few weeks, but I just can't seem to muster up the energy to write about it. So here are some pictures:

For my birthday, my thoughtful husband and great friends planned "The Amazing Birthday Race." My apologies for my lack of pictures here. We were divided into teams, and sent on various missions....one was to eat a cheeseburger next to Abe Lincoln on the bench...Ryan actually bought a double cheeseburger since it was cheaper....but not as fast to eat.

They also made a crossword puzzle all about me (I felt a bit narcissistic...and by the way, I do NOT snort when I laugh),

Played sudoku with sidewalk chalk and a driveway, and took pictures with strangers doing various things. Our team found the PERFECT group of strangers: junior high girls!! (I wish I had the pictures to prove it!)

Vickie's birthday followed, so I made her a cake...


Followed by the anticpated Fondue Friday! Other than making WAY too much, it was very yummy. And I can't wait to try some more recipes! If it weren't for Chris, I wouldn't even have this picture. So thanks, Chris!


This past weekend, Hannah accomplished a few firsts....
using scissors....(She caught on rather quickly!)

...and planting a garden. This is a first for me as well!



Here are just a couple cute pictures taken this past week.



In the next few days, I'll be in Omaha catching up with my sisters and holding my niece and nephew. So more pictures to come!

My twin?

Another one to add to my pile

I have a few other books to finish before I start anything else, but Ben Witherington gives a persuasive review of The Year of Living Biblically.

If you have time, check it out and let me know what you think!

100 Things to do before I go...

Okay...so 100 is a bit much, but my mom raised me to finish what I start, so here goes:

76. Finish other things I've started. =)
77. Celebrate my 70th wedding anniversary.
78. Spoil my grandkids.
79. Adopt or help someone adopt.
80. Explaining the Lenten and Easter season to Hannah.
81. Strengthen my patience.
82. Relish conversations with girlfriends.
83. Know the names of everyone living on my street.
84. Go mountain climbing.
85. Visit with my sisters while our kids play.
86. Buy a cabin in the mountains....big enough to share.
87. Learn how to bake chewy, chocolate chip cookies.
88. Bring baby Gaff #2 home (no, not an annoucement!).
89. Plant a garden with Hannah.
90. Go back to Mexico with Isaac.
91. Take at least one ESL class this fall.
92. Make homemade pasta.
93. Laugh, the side-hurting kind, almost everyday.
94. Make Hannah and Isaac laugh like this on a regular basis.
95. Read the comics with Hannah every morning.
96. Use our car less and the trail more.
97. Kiss the Blarney Stone.
98. Take advantage of the free concerts & events in town.
99. Find more ways to ease Isaac's load...and do it joyfully.
100. Start each morning thankfully and prayerfully.

What we've been up to...

While I'm trying to come up with my last 25 "100 things..." (much harder than I thought it would be), here are some photos of the last week or so.
Palm Sunday, we were in Indiana visiting the Gaff family. Here's Uncle Nick dressing up as Tinkerbell.

After the whole Tinkerbell episode, she warmed right up to him. Who wouldn't? =)

Decorating Easter eggs...



A big Easter egg hunt on a cold, cold morning....


It was fun after all!!

Empty eggs?!

Easter Sunday...
Daddy and his girl

Hannah and Grandma and their puzzles

Another hunt at Vickie's house with H's new friend/superhero, Ben

I took this about 2 weeks ago.
I knew it was going to be a good day when the paper accidentally printed THREE of these:

theodicy

I keep hearing about the release of a new book, God's Problem, by Bart D. Ehrman. He's been interviewed on NPR, and since it's the Easter season, many people have been discussing it. From my limited understanding, the author questions an existence of God because of the presence of suffering in the world.

I read Ben Witherington's blog and I like what he says concerning this issue:

"In one sense of course, Bart Ehrman's views are understandable. If you are raised to believe that a good sovereign God before the beginning of time pre-determined all things that have happen in this world, then indeed you have a severe problem of logic when it comes to both sin and suffering, both misery and mayhem. But in fact the God of fatalism with all things predetermined is not the God of the Bible. That is the God of Islam, but not Christianity at its best.

The Bible teaches that most of human suffering is of our own making, not predestined by God. There is this little doctrine called the Fall, and also the matter of humans being created with wills of their own. Both the Fall and at least the power of contrary choice in fallen persons more than adequately explains most of the wickedness we see in the world--- it is, as Tennyson used to say 'a case of man's inhumanity to man'."

This is such a crucial topic...one that Christians need to carefully think about, study, and discuss. I think I might add this book to my list of must-reads. Anyone want to start a book group?