bus date

Since I've been riding the bus to work, I've wanted to show AJ the route I take & have him experience it with me. So Saturday we had a bus date. We got on the bus near our home which drops us off in the heart of downtown. It was a beautiful, chilly, sunny autumn day, perfect for galavanting downtown to the farmer's market, a bakery, the library, and oh how I loved this date! Here are some pictures:

Reading Perelandra by C.S. Lewis, second of the Space trilogy about Ransom, the name we're giving our boy.

And that's it, folks.

a couple of good ones

Last weekend we went on a couples retreat with our church to Bend, Oregon. Such a pretty place! On Saturday night of the retreat we dressed up & chowed down on some soul food! Jambalaya!

And on Sunday we went to the farm with our friends Andrew & Coralie & their kids. We picked apples, chose a few pumpkins, sampled apple cider & cobbler, etc.

The charming apple picker.

Comparing sizes.

new job

Andrew has started a new line of work since the end of September. Since he graduated from college this spring he's been learning new trades. First it was concrete, and now, he's learning the tile trade. This man was not made for an office job & of course, hoping to have a home of our own some day, I'm thrilled he's learning all of these skills that might be useful later on! Here are a few pictures of a shower he helped with, early in his new tiling career.



Here, he's explaining to Tia & me what his part of the job was.



I'm so proud of him. :)

glimpse of the new home & first chance to host

Going back several weeks to when we first moved into our new apartment (end of August), I thought I'd show you some pictures. Thanks, Lizzy, for suggesting this & for helping motivate me to do it!


The living room! The banners I made in honor of Jamie's surprise birthday party are still up. They're just too festive to take down, so I've left them up.


Our piano, which we got for FREE on craigslist! It feels like a luxury to have one in our home to play whenever we like! I'm thankful to be able to practice.


The birthday girl, Jamie, about to blow out the candles.


The birthday party-ers! Jenny, Rachel, Jamie, Kaylene, Kristin, Danielle, and on the bottom, me & Becki.

In the baby's room, AJ putting the crib together. He did such a great job!

So this is just a glimpse.

this morning

this morning

satisfying time spent with Andrew before work
he helped me find answers to my questions
didn't just write me off
another reason why I love him so!

in The Descent to Hell" Charles Williams's chapter
"The Doctrine of Substituted Love"
was very good
a hopeful light
in a so far ghostly book

encountered a lady on the bus
she gave me a new outfit for the baby
it says, "heaven sent"
she seemed heaven sent to me

walking from the bus stop to work
cloudy morning, which I love
passing the holly and the ivy...
remembering four part harmony singing
with my family

seeing a grey squirrel
makes me want to revisit
Beatrix Potter's "Squirrel Nutkin"
and other friends of hers

looking forward to this weekend
a retreat with my Andrew
and plans to pick apples and admire pumpkins with friends

I pass another walker and we smile
a mona lisa smile remains on my face
after we pass

crisp, autumn air
but it makes my face warm when I get inside
the chilly air was a relief
to my warm baby incubating body!


Ecclesiastes 9:7-9 (the Message)

Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,
Drink wine with a robust heart. (juice/tea/soymilk in my pregnant case!)
Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
Dress festively every morning.
Don't skimp on colors and scarves.
Relish life with the spouse you love
Each and every day of your precarious life.
Each day is God's gift. It's all you get in exchange
For the hard work of staying alive.
Make the most of each one!