Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Back To The Future

So we're hopefully back to some sense of normalcy around here. I was working my summer hours for the past few months (four 10-hour days) and getting up at 4 a.m. or earlier and it was really messing with my moods and our daily routines. But I started back to my 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday schedule on Monday. And let me tell you, you don't realize how short an 8-hour workday is until you've worked a 10-hour workday. Man oh man, I am finding that my time is more and more precious now that I only have 8 hours in a day to get my work done. I realize that it's still 40-hours per week, yet somehow the time is just going faster. I shouldn't complain that my workday is going fast, but when I am as busy as I am, it's not a good thing.

Just to recap our Summer of 2010: No vacations were taken, lots of time was spent around the newly created firepit in our backyard and plenty of time was spent getting ice cream at the Dairy Queen :-) This was the first summer in almost 8 years that Jed and I didn't camp almost every single weekend. In fact, we only went camping one weekend this whole entire summer...I know what you're thinking and I can't believe it either. We actually sold our camper the day before we went on our one camping trip and Jed's brother was gracious enough to let us borrow his camper for the weekend. I won't get into detail here, but let's just say it was definitely a "Jed & Becky kind of" weekend....blown out tires and all. The rest is up to your imagination.

Nora has been asking me if she can get a 'tar (aka: guitar), so I told her that if she starts listening better and helping to clean her room more then maybe she will get one for her birthday in November from Mom and Dad. I'd like to get her into lessons this fall, so if anyone knows of anyone who gives lessons to 3-year olds, give me a shout!  She is also asking if she can take swim lessons since she finally learned how to blow bubbles with her face in the water (I'll let her keep believing that). I am going to try to sign her up for lessons this fall or winter because we've been wanting to get her into them soon. If we're going to be taking her fishing with us on the Mississippi, the girl had better know how to swim!

Archer, oh Archer. He's got a case of the "second child syndrome" something fierce. When he wants something, he wants it all and he wants it immediately. He's extremely mobile and is on the cusp of walking. Should prove to be interesting once he is walking - maybe then his whining will cease since he can get to wherever he wants more quickly!  He got his very first haircut on July 1st and has since had yet another one.  Our little man is growing ever so quickly.

Jed and I have been attending Hope Church in Dubuque since April and I thank God every single day for leading us there. We have met so many wonderful and welcoming people. They have childcare centers where they do activities with them while Jed and I attend service and the kids just love going. I am going to start attending a Mom's group on Wednesday evenings starting this fall and Jed is going to start in a Men's group starting this fall as well. We are both really looking forward to getting more involved and meeting new people. I have also just volunteered my services to the church to assist with some of their children's programs and am very much looking forward to getting more and more involved as the year goes on. I am so excited with the relationship that I am fostering and developing with Jesus - I just may not have gotten through this past year without Him holding my hand every step of the way. He has been an ever present comfort, friend and savior. Sometimes the best things can come out of or from the worst things in our lives and my rekindled relationship with Jesus is just the beginning.


Archer before his first ever haircut

Archer after his first ever haircut


Camping at Morwood with the Habel Clan



Driving the pontoon with Grandpa Hurst

Baptism for Hope at Flora



Swimming



Holy Cross Parade & Street Dance





(Mom & Me)


(My Grandpa Gaul & Uncle Loren)

Jed & I all dressed up for a change


Where we spent most of the summer:  The Backyard
The new firepit I built





Beautiful, beautiful song.........hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Jesus Paid It All - Kristian Stanfill