Mt. Spokane

Mo, Ava and I went up to Mt. Spokane a little while ago with the Junior High Youth group, and had so much fun! Even though the only snow I touched was walking from the car to the lodge and back, our friends Josh and Audra kept me and Ava great company.

Eventually, Mo and Josh took Ava out sledding, here's a couple of pictures:

I have a better video that I'll post later, I accidentally did the wrong one, but I'll have to wait til I get to a different computer that's not so slow. *sigh* ya gotta love dial-up... ;)

Growing... growing.... -still growing.

Can you believe I still have 5 weeks to go, yet my belly will probably double in size in the meantime?!

We are so excited for Baby Gabe's arrival, and with all the energy he seems to have (definitely inherited from his Daddy -thanks Mo), I think I'm at the top of the list for most excited! Although, this time around, I feel I'm more appreciative of what's growing inside me... Not that I wasn't with Ava, but I think I still kinda took for granted her being there in my belly, not truly knowing the love I would have for her as I came to know her more and more. I feel I already know Gabriel more at this stage than when Ava was in me, and I can't put into words why (or is it that I'm too lazy right now to try!)...

Am I making sense?? I'm just blabbing, sorry.

Well, I thought I'd give you all an update on the belly for those of you that live far away (we miss you!).

What a book~

Oh man! I just finished reading "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom. --What an amazing story! It's so encouraging to read about how the Lord is always so faithful, and never turns His back on us, even at times when it feels like maybe He has... We can never see the full picture as He can, and to look back on times that have been hard, He's always seemed to work them out for good and His glory.

This book reminded me of another I finished not too long ago -"the Heavenly Man" by Brother Yun (another must-read!!). Not only did God perform undeniable miracles, but how both Bro Yun and Corrie ten Boom -and especially her sister Betsie- decided to react to how they were being treated by their oppressors was encouraging yet convicting to me... They didn't let themselves get negative or bitter towards these people, but instead lifted them up in prayer. I wish I could say the same for myself... I've always known that that is what God wants me to do, but when you're in the heat of the moment, how often do I really find myself doing that? ...Not often. ---And I've never even been in anything near what they've had to go through (thank you, Lord)!!!

Well, I can't wait to read the follow-up of "the Hiding Place" which is called "Tramp for the Lord". I'll be starting it tonight, and maybe a post to come about that one as well (I've heard you can't read it without crying...)!!

Hope to talk to you all soon!

My Goofball

I believe Ava has inherited my wacky and definitely odd sense of humor/personality, which only the closest of my friends truly know how worrisome this might be (not to make any of you others feel left out, you're probably quite lucky, actually.)...

Along with the disturbing "evil" laugh she's really been into making lately, here are some pictures that don't really do any justice for the actual craziness that really happens around here:

She is absolutely obsessed with this hat (the beanies that the hospital gives out when they're born.)!! She's even wearing it right now as I type this.

Now, can you tell me why it is that I don't get worried when I see the craziness flair up, but actually get excited about it?!

...I should be paid for this.

Ok, anyone that knows me knows I sometimes get obsessed over stupid things. Take for example, my obsession over the grocery store WinCo.

Back when Mo and I lived in Federal Way, we lived right across the street from this haven of low prices and bulk food, and I made sure to tell everyone I knew what they were missing out on if they didn't get their groceries there. I once made a co-worker of mine drive up from Tacoma (1/2hr trip) to shop there, and he came back to tell me that when they gave him the total, he almost cried, saying that now he gets to revamp his whole budget to spend more on his kids because that's how much he saved (grant it, he is more on the dramatic side...) !
So, the reason I'm writing this (in case you were wondering, because I'm sure you were...) is because ever since we moved here to Spokane, I cringe whenever I buy things at normal grocery stores, knowing I could be saving so much more. About a year and a half ago, I heard a rumor that WinCo was coming in the Fall of '08, and when I went to Seattle last June, I made sure to investigate to find out if it was true. One of the employees told me that's what he heard too, and so I have been patiently waiting for the arrival of the best grocery store in the world.

Alas, it has arrived!!!!

A couple months ago I saw it being built on N. Nevada St, and I have been tracking it's progress ever since. I also got a flyer the other day saying that they're hiring, so it's probably just a matter of a couple weeks before they open!

I hope you all take the opportunity to at least try it out, then tell me if I let you down or not.

You can decide if this post was really over-exaggerated, or just slightly over-exaggerated ;)