We're going to a wedding tonight. An outdoor wedding at the million dollar+ estate of my husband's boss. It's his second marriage and he is marrying a girl named Charity. That's right, he wants to be just like Nathan!!! Anyway, what do you wear to an outside, $$$, second wedding and then reception dinner of your husband's boss? A flowey summer dress with sandals...or a dryclean only with pearls? Guys have it so easy. Church? Work? Wedding? Business Lunch? Etc...? Dress shirt. Dress pants. Shoes. Done deal. NO FAIR!! Meanwhile, we are expected to know what colors to wear at what seasons, what shoes go with what outfits, what fabrics go together, what jewelry goes with what outfit, and on and on. Can you tell I am a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl? Oh well, I'm not real worried about it, actually I am excited, it will almost be a date. Except I will probably have to schmooze with the people there, that I don't really know very well at all, and bless his heart, but Nathan is so bad at multitasking, whenever we are together with people from his work, it's like he's at work and I don't exist. I used to think he was just embarassed of me, but I think he just forgets that I don't know everyone he knows and that he isn't the only one there. They are all very nice people, but we only see each other maybe once or twice a year, and I am just not very good at the shallow socializing. I just get nervous thinking I am being a bad reflection on my husband and these are the people that he would probably like to impress the most. Anyway, I'm sure we'll have a nice time, though. Nate will be here to pick me up at 5:45. Nate's mom is taking the kids and even feeding them dinner, which was so nice. Well, I should start picking up, I was so tired this morning I didn't even have the presence of mind to prohibit the boys from getting out about every toy they own!! Oh, and little Miss Grace stood up on her own today!!! She pulled herself to a stand on me, then let go and just stood there. I was so shocked, and I keep telling her she's only eight months old, but do you think she listens? (She must get that from her father) Oh, I also wanted to write about what a fun time we had at Misty's yesterday. I know she linked me on her blog, but I have no idea how to do that, so I will just say that she was so sweet and hospitable and made us all grilled cheese sandwitches and my kids had such a fun time playing with her sweet, too well behaved children, and I always LOVE to visit with Misty and I got to hear the funny story behind her dogs' names and anyway, I just feel blessed when I think that wonderful people like Misty even want to be my friend. Thankyou Lord. :)

Gracie's 8 month picture, very late. That teddy bear keeps getting smaller and smaller!! 

At the anniversary cabin in Pine Mtn. I'm on the step above Nathan, we almost look like we're the same height! :) 

My favorite picture from the night away. We had fun using the timer on the camera. I'm on my tippy toes here.  

Here are my wonderful parents with my adorable children. Lots of my heart on one loveseat! :) 

It's Thursday morning. I took my parents to the airport yesterday morning for their very long trip back up north. We had a wonderful visit while they were here. My dad helped Nate make up plans for the pine log canopy bed he is making; installed our new dining room light and introduced George to geology by giving him a rock viewing magnifying thingie (gee, can you tell I have no clue about the stuff?) and teaching him about the differant types of rocks. My mother sewed the rocket ship room divider for the boys, complete with portholes for them to play peekaboo through, and sewed their star curtains to go with the space theme in their room. It looks very cool. We got new table and chairs while they were here and she also turned the big cardboard boxes from the chairs into a rocket ship, a racecar and a house. Maybe someday I'll be that creative. My father made bread for me the whole time they were here, which was wonderful because he is so much better at it than I am. He also made his world famous scandinavian cinnamon rolls, which can only be described as sweeeeet Heaven on earth. :) The most wonderful thing my parents did while they were here was to watch the kids for us so Nate and I could go away for the night on our sixth anniversary. It was the first time since we've been married that we've gone away without kids and without me being pregnant. But more about that later. I was so incredibly thankful that my parents could come, and not for all the stuff that they did for us. As I get older, I seem to get more sentimental and more (umm, what's the word?) almost homesick, but not for the place, just for the people. Every visit with them gets sweeter as time goes on. And slowly, (extremely slowly) Nate and my dad are building some sort of rapport. Neither of them are naturally good conversationalists or centers of attention, and Nate mumbles and my dad is hard of hearing, so that's just one more strike against them. Add to that fact that their personalities, while not conflicting, are almost completely opposite, and that doesn't make for very easy communication between them. But, this time was a little better. Maybe Christmas will be even better.

Our anniversary was wonderful. We went to church, and actually even made it to Sunday school, which we had missed the preceding week. After church, Nate's parents took us all out for lunch at a very crowded and badly-functioning-ac IHOP. It was fun, though, and always a nice treat to go out to eat. Then we went home and got the kiddos down for a nap and left. Of course, this trip away predicated upon my having pumped and stored enough milk for little miss Gracie to have while I was away, and that I could bring my pump and store and bring back my milk from my time away. Five minutes away from home I realized I had forgotten the cooler and milk storage bags. This was what prompted the big fight. Normally, my husband is extremely laid back and doesn't get too bothered by things like this. And yes, I readily admit it was my negligence that forgot things. So I asked him if we could stop at a store and get another little cooler. He said that my milk might have some intrinsic value to me because I produce it, but it doesn't cost us a dime, so I should just pump it and throw it away. I was completely opposed to this idea, but tried to keep civil and just asked him if he could just please stop somewhere. So, he slammed into Kroger and dropped me off at the door. I was almost in tears, becasue he just never gets mad at me, and this seemed so dum a thing to get upset over. Of course in Kroger, they didn't have coolers or milk storage bags, so I got some red creme soda and a pecan pie as a peace offering for my husband. By the time I got back out, he had cooled off, and when he saw the pie and soda, he was happy. I told him I hate it when he's mad at me. (And he hardly ever is, not because I don't deserve it, but that's just his personality). He smirked and said he realized about 10 seconds after he got upset that is was dumb. So I asked him why he hadn't just said that, to which he replied with a wicked grin, "Well, if we don't fight, how can we make up?" I laughed and asked him why he doesn't yell at me more often. He said he just doesn't think of it. :P (btw, I did end up saving my milk, I just put it in the washed out red creme soda bottle! :)

We got to our log cabin in Pine Mtn. and after not being able to use the keypad lock (come to find out the batteries were dead) Nate used his credit card and popped the door open. It was beautiful. There were three queen sized beds and a 2 person jacuzzi tub and we made gooood use of them all. We also went out to dinner and drank good coffee late into the night, and were able to start, and finish!!, several seperate and important conversations that we really needed to have. It was certainly the best anniversary we've had so far. It. was. wonderful. On Monday we went walking around some shops in Warm Springs and got some little things for my parents and for the boys.

That was my big happenings, my parents visit and my anniversary. I really need to post pictures, of the kids, of the cabin, of other things, too. Anyway, that will be for another time.

I have not given up on blogging. But, I often ask myself how I had time to do it almost every day at one time?!? In the next few days I WILL write on: why my sixth anniversary has been the best one so far; How God really does make all our dreams come true (or changes them to be even better); How my children are growing and changing at lightspeed; and other very important things that require my attention and time deserve more consideration and type time than I have at this moment. Going to put laundry away......

	Friend Bear You are everyone's ideal friend because you are sincere and genuinely kind. Sometimes you worry about your friends' problems so much, you forget about your own responsibilities, which can get you into trouble. For you, it's the little things that really count. You also happen to be the main driver of the Cloud Car. No speeding!
Take the Which Care Bear Are You? Quiz!

I saw this over at Stephanie's site and had to do it!

I know it has been a very long time since I have posted. I haven't gotten back into the habit of doing it since we moved and now it seems like more things are happening that require my attention be "offline." I went to Maine, to my parents 30th anniversary party, which was a wonderful surprise for them and came together well. I had chances to visit with both my brothers and my sisters in law, and meet my two new nephews. I swam (swum? have swum?) in Greenwood Pond, which was of course indescribably wonderful, just to be up at my grandparents camp, where I spent all my childhood summers. I also was able to reconnect with an old and very dear friend who is going through a hard time right now. Speaking of old friends, another dear friend called me the other day and said the Lord had brought me to mind because she is going through a very hard time in her marriage right now and from some things I had said about my marriage relationship in the past, she thought I might be able to give her some council. I think we were a blessing to each other. You don't ever ask for things of that nature to be a part of your relationships, sin and betrayal and lies, but when the Lord, through His grace brings you through them, it can become a source of comfort to others. That was an unexpected blessing. I might write more about that later. Nathan bought a van while I was gone, and it has a vent for every seat!! :) No more poor hot, sweaty children in the back of the no-AC vehicle!! That was a huge blessing. And, he got the hot tub working (the hot tub that he got at a ginormous discount because it had a leak and was under warranty and he fixed the leak) and that has been our nightly hangout since I got back. Soooooooo relaxing and wonderful, and truly a great investment in our stress level reduction and couple time. (Man, those things are a playground! ;) My parents will be here next Saturday for 10 days!! They have never come to visit that long, and I am so excited that we actually have plenty of room for them to be here now and two bathrooms and everything, which is just such a great blessing. I have felt overwhelmed with blessings and yet straying from the Lord all at the same time in the last weeks. I know what is missing from my life- it is a discipline of worship. I have let a lack of faithfulness tear a gap between me and my Saviour, and I have still been blessed beyond measure. It's hard to even write that, the shame that is so blatent in that statement really convicts my guilty heart. This morning I spent some time just singing and praising God. Yesterday was a good time of seeking forgiveness, and even though I still feel far away, I know the Lord hasn't moved, and He has forgiven my lacksadaisical (sp?) faithlessness and apathy. George is getting closer every day to understanding the Gospel. He is asking questions and making deductions. It scares me to think he might be already able to grasp the truth of his need for a Savior, and to realize my responsibility to teach and lead him to the Lord as I should. I must get my bread in the oven, I just wanted to get something down about my state of mind, being and actions lately. I hope to be really diligent in organizing my days that I will have a set time to keep up with this journaling and to get back into W@H. I miss the fellowship, the prayer times that that brought, and just the sweet ladies that are a part of it.