Happy New Year!

This was supposed to be a collection of images from Dave and I's year, however, I ran out of time to post them all! :) So instead a year end summary of a few things that have been going on in our lives! Have a blessed and joy-filled 2010!

Baby Updates

Hello all! Just a quick update on things with Dave and I. We're doing well, extremely busy, but well! :) The baby is growing like crazy and it still looks like it will get here around May 11. We're anxiously awaiting Dec. 29, when we will determine sex!

Listening to God

Job 37:1-18 (New Living Translation)

Job 37

¹ “My heart pounds as I think of this.
It trembles within me.
² Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice
as it rolls from his mouth.
³ It rolls across the heavens,
and his lightning flashes in every direction.
⁴ Then comes the roaring of the thunder—
the tremendous voice of his majesty.
He does not restrain it when he speaks.
⁵ God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.
We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power.

⁶ “He directs the snow to fall on the earth
and tells the rain to pour down.
⁷ Then everyone stops working
so they can watch his power.
⁸ The wild animals take cover
and stay inside their dens.
⁹ The stormy wind comes from its chamber,
and the driving winds bring the cold.
¹⁰ God’s breath sends the ice,
freezing wide expanses of water.
¹¹ He loads the clouds with moisture,
and they flash with his lightning.
¹² The clouds churn about at his direction.
They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.
¹³ He makes these things happen either to punish people
or to show his unfailing love.

¹⁴ “Pay attention to this, Job.
Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!
¹⁵ Do you know how God controls the storm
and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?
¹⁶ Do you understand how he moves the clouds
with wonderful perfection and skill?
¹⁷ When you are sweltering in your clothes
and the south wind dies down and everything is still,
¹⁸ he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror.
Can you do that?

First Doctor's Appointment

I finally scheduled an appointment, after much hemming and hawing...turns out indecision is a symptom of pregnancy...who knew?? :)

Dave went with me and we answered many questions, gave lots of blood (me not Dave), and got the officially official due date of May 11. First ultrasound in a few weeks, can't wait!

So far we are all feeling good, minus our cat Rufus who visited the vet today to be tutored (ie neutered).

First comes love, then comes marriage...

Yup, you got it...7 weeks gone, expecting our little bundle of joy and whatnot May 12ish.

Rough Country

The Country Wife

She makes her way through the dark trees
Down to the lake to be alone.
Following their voices on the breeze,
She makes her way. Through the dark trees
The distant stars are all she sees.
They cannot light the way she's gone.
She makes her way through the dark trees
Down to the lake to be alone.

The night reflected on the lake,
The fire of stars changed into water.
She cannot see the winds that break
The night reflected on the lake
But knows they motion for her sake.
These are the choices they have brought her:
The night reflected on the lake,
The fire of stars changed into water.

Rough Country

Give me a landscape made of obstacles,
of steep hills and jutting glacial rock,
where the low-running streams are quick to flood
the grassy fields and bottomlands.A place no engineers can master–where the roads
must twist like tendrils up the mountainside
on narrow cliffs where boulders block the way.
Where tall black trunks of lightning-scalded pine
push through the tangled woods to make a roost
for hawks and swarming crows.And sharp inclines where twisting through the thorn-thick underbrush,
scratched and exhausted, one turns suddenly
to find an unexpected waterfall,
not half a mile from the nearest road,
a spot so hard to reach that no one comes–
a hiding place, a shrine for dragonflies
and nesting jays, a sign that there is still

one piece of property that won't be owned.
~Dana Gioia (both)

Starry Nights

The full moon and starry night skies were so breath-taking this past weekend.
They constantly brought the below Psalm to mind.

Psalm 19

¹ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
² Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
³ They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
⁴ Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

The Wind River Range, Labor Day 2009

We had a wonderful long weekend in the Wind River Range with my brother, and friend Lee Erin. It was awesome to see such majestic mountains, breath-taking scenery, and spend time outdoors. We hiked 45-50 miles from above Pinedale to the Titcomb Basin. The weather was perfect, the moon was full, and it was very hard to leave. More pictures coming soon...!

Psalm 148

Psalm 148

¹ Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens!
Praise him from the skies!
² Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all the armies of heaven!
³ Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
⁴ Praise him, skies above!
Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
⁵ Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
⁶ He set them in place forever and ever.
His decree will never be revoked.

⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,
⁸ fire and hail, snow and clouds,^a]">[a]
wind and weather that obey him,
⁹ mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰ wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,
¹¹ kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,
¹² young men and young women,
old men and children.

¹³ Let them all praise the name of the Lord.
For his name is very great;
his glory towers over the earth and heaven!
¹⁴ He has made his people strong,
honoring his faithful ones—
the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the Lord!

"Climb the mountains, and get their good tidings."

Can't wait for this weekend! Haven't been four days in the mountains for too long!

This day, one year ago....

On top of Laramie Peak, in the middle of a huge thunderstorm, Dave whipped out a custom made Twister game for our "Extreme Twister" adventures! My third spin indicated that the other player should move to "yellow, knee". And down on one knee Dave went. And out came a diamond ring and the most beautiful proposal ever. We toasted with champagne, while the tears mingled with the rain. Witnessed only by a forest of trees and my faithful mutt, Rio.

Overflow

2 Corinthians 1:5
For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Medicine Bow Peak

Dave and I spent a beautiful weekend in the Snowy Range. We stopped in Laramie for a Coal Creek fix, camped near Libby Creek, and climbed Medicine Bow Peak. The sun was bright, the wild flowers abundant, and the company most excellent.

BASIC PROBLEMS.		SIMPLE SOLUTIONS.
	LACK OF TIME: Many children spend all day helping their parents fetch water instead of going to school.		WATER SECURITY: Your donation funds safe water for a child and her entire family... right on the school grounds.
	CHRONIC DISEASE: Dirty water causes debilitating and life-threatening diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.		HYGIENE EDUCATION: We teach good hygiene. Clean water combined with handwashing can eliminate 70% of disease.

from www.water.cc (visit for more info)

Sundown

Perspective

1 Peter 5:6-11 (New International Version)

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Sweet, sweet summer time...

El Jardin!

Dave and I, and our friends John and Hannah, grew a garden in a community plot this summer. Much fun was had planting, water, and now consuming. Sadly, they are both headed to parts far flung. Come back, we'll gladly trade produce for more fun times with you! :)

Top view o' the kitties!

Rushmore, Sturgis Rally, Winery, and Sylvan Lake

And these are the only photos we took! Go figure! :)

Summer Fun at Glendo!

Let sleeping husbands lie...or so they say! :)

My world class monkey bump. Which I still have three weeks later...hmmmm.

Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Jane enjoy the shade on the pontoon boat.

What a beautiful place to camp!