Walnuts

We have a walnut tree in our back yard. Our back yard is tiny so when the walnuts fall...they cover our entire yard. I went back to pick them up one day and starting counting how many I picked up. Patrick came back when he got off work and I told him if he wanted to help he'd have to count as well. He was hesitant but gave in when I begged. For some reason I just was curious to see how many there were.

Well we picked them all up using plastic bags to protect our hands (walnuts turn your skin black). When it was all said and done we had 615 walnuts in garbage bags. 615! And there are still more in that blasted tree... after todays wind they are probably all on our ground. Maybe I'll count again when I pick those up. How many walnuts can one tree produce????

And here is my sweet husband and pup

Fall with Friends

A few weeks ago our friends Brian and Danielle hosted a chili cook off. It was a great fall day out and we enjoyed lots of good company and food. It's kind of funny how when we met all these people we were all newly weds and none of us had kiddos. Now we all have kids and they consume my pictures:) Here are a few from the night. I should have taken some pictures of all that yummy chili.
Don't our friends have adorable kids. Hopefully they will all be our little girl's friends even though they'll be about a year older.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

I can never eat all my bananas before they go bad. Patrick tries to help but often just forgets that we have them. Well I never throw away brown bananas. I just can't. I think it's because my mom always have a freezer full of them. Well once I have about 5 stored up... I make banana bread. And it is yummy. This recipe is from my aunt mel.

German Banana Bread

2 c sugar
2 sticks butter
2 eggs
1 c sour cream
3-4 ripe bananas (I use more)
3 c self rising flour
1 c pecans
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c milk

Blend sugar and butter. Add additional ingredients. Mix well. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. **Remove from pans immediately and wrap with foil**


The sour cream and that last part about wrapping in foil while hot are the key things about this recipe. It turns out extremely moist and delicious. I really wish I had some right now actually. SAD.

Thoughts

Here's a post of randomness. Beware

The Lord has been very kind to Patrick and I this week. Some of you may remember that about a month ago Patrick had an incident/accident in which his car was messed up and we had to pay $420 to get it fixed. This incident wasn't our fault... it was due to construction being done to the road. I pursued the city to see if they'd pay for it. They told me it wasn't their fault and to contact the construction company. I did. They said it wasn't their fault and to contact the miling? company. I did. They said not their fault.... back to the construction company I went. I bugged and bugged and called and emailed and emailed. Well finally I got an email back yesterday saying that.... THEY ARE PAYING US BACK! Wooo HOO! I know that my persistence helped but I see it as more than that. The Lord provided for us yet again! Praise the Lord!

This weekend is going to be packed. We are hopefully going to get to visit with friends (Alex and Clint and new baby Sawyer) for dinner. Saturday is cleaning and at 4 I'm taking family pictures for some friends 5.30 is a baby shower for friends adopting from Ethiopia (!!!!) and then at 7 we are going to our friend's annual pumpkin carving/chili eating/apple cider drinking party. Sunday is church and care group. Then back to work on Monday.

I feel like all the weekends coming up are going to be this way. They are packed with baby showers (for friends and myself) and random ceremonies like my older bro graduating from the police academy. Then it's Thanksgiving and then its DUE DATE!

46 days till my due date. I'm kind of betting I go early. We'll see.

I went to my first class at the hospital yesterday. It was called "Planning a Natural Childbirth." It wasn't what I expected. I guess I was expecting more of a methods class and thats not what it was. It was more of a stages/phases of labor class with random info about going natural. I'm still glad I went. It makes me feel like this is all more real. Even though my tummy is huge and I feel a kid kicking in there often at times it just doesn't seem real.

I told Patrick last night I am getting more and more excited with each passing day to meet this babe. The anxiety of my lack of ability to be a mom is lessening with each day.

I think I'm done with my rambling. Happy Friday.

feeling a little on the lopsided side of things

It never ceases to amaze me the way this girl moves. (and yes this HURT)

Lunch time happiness

Knitting outside on a perfect fall day is well PERFECT. Thank you lunch break!

p.s. this day is P.O.K.I.N.G by very slowly... hurry up already.

McBroom Family

Nathan and Abigail are some great friends of ours. They have a 10 month little girl who I love to hold and squeeze:) They are both wonderful photographers and I was honored that they asked me to take a few family photos for them. Here are a few from this past weekend at Cherokee park.

P.S. This girl is part of the reason for my loving the name Abigail so much:)

33 wks

It's getting closer and closer. I had my appointment yesterday.


I weighed in at 142 lbs (making 24 lbs gained total)
My blood pressure has returned to it's normal self at 92/50
Little girl's heat beat was in the 130's
Belly measured 34 cms... (I grew 4 cm in 2 wks...whoa!)



I'm still feeling fine. I have back pain and heart burn often but nothing too unmanagable. I guess I can deal with those for 7 more weeks.

We put together the crib last night and I put on all the bedding.. TOO CUTE! As Patrick and I were putting it together he said something like "this is weird it makes it feel really REAL" and I totally agree. Now that I have a crib in a room waiting for this child I'm getting fairly anxious. Ready to meet this little girl (and decide on her name!).

Along with putting a crib together I crocheted some cute little hair bows for her and a head band... pictures will be coming.

It's tuesday. I'm 33 wks. It's a beautiful fall day out!

Anniversary Dinner

Patrick and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary on the 4th. We enjoyed a nice dinner and walk out in Anchorage.

32 wks

That means I'm only 8 weeks away from my due date. WEIRD.

I'm still feeling great! I feel very fortunate that this pregnancy has gone as well as it has. I have no complaints... Ok maybe one:) If this little girl could get her bottom out of my ribs that'd be great. Ok I'm done with complaining.

I made a list yesterday of all the things I still have left to do around the house before she comes and I was a little overwhelmed. It's about time to stop putting those off and tackle some chores.

My sister is 19 1/2 weeks pregnant and she just found out yesterday that it's a GIRL! I was able to go to her ultrasound with her and am so glad for it. We squealed and almost cried when the tech told us the news. There is something so fun about being pregnant with your sister and then to both be having girls... even better!

Today has been a week since Kirby had his surgery. I think he's doing pretty good. He hasn't really bothered it much but licking or trying to bite at the stitches. He's starting to use it more. This scares me but also is encouraging. I want him to start feeling better but also don't want him to think he's fine and reinjure himself. This dog is hard to keep confined. We go in another week to have him checked out and stitches removed.

Dear Little One

I often sit and wonder what you'll look like. Are you going to be as chubby as your Dad and I? Will you have our complexion and hair color? Will you have brown eyes or shock us with some color? I know all these things are set and wondering wont do me much good. I also know of other things that are already set for you.

Your days. They are numbered. Not by me or any of my imaginings but better than that, they are numbered by the Lord. He already knows the number of hairs on that head of yours. He knows everything about you. What a comfort. I don't have to worry or fear. He is the one knitting you together in that womb of mine.

I pray you'll learn to love Him. I pray He turns your heart, that will seem so innocent, from stone to flesh. Give you ears to see the wonders of His love. Faith to believe the promises of His grace. I pray you wont hold to the glitterings of this world but that you'll cling with all your might to Him and the hope He has set before us.

Oh that you would have a tender heart that is full of love for others. That you wouldn't be proud and stubborn like your mom but full of humility and grace like your Maker. I hope you wont live to please your Dad and I but that you would live to the delight of the King. I pray that all the knowledge in the world would not satisfy you like knowing the forgiveness and salvation given by God for yourself.

I pray your Dad and I would be filled with great grace as we enter this season of parenting you. That we would lean not on our own understanding but on the mighty maker of heaven and earth. My He fill us with His wisdom.

We love you already and can't wait to meet you.

A Schreiner

Just found my self sitting like a Schreiner. Only those of you who know the quirks of Schreinerdome will understand this.

And I imagine this is how bored I look most of my day while staring at my computer screen scrolling through meticulous reports.

31 wks and Kirby's surgery

Tuesday I hit the 31 week mark. I need to upload the pictures from our anniversary night but for now this will do.

Also, Kirby had his surgery to fix his torn ACL on Tuesday. We were able to pick him up yesterday. His leg is shaved and has lots of stitches... It reminds me of a chicken leg. I feel so bad for the boy. He can't walk on the leg at all yet. He wont even touch it down. He hops around on his back leg. For the next 8 weeks we have to keep him strictly confined. Meaning no running or jumping or quick turns. We pretty much keep him in his cage at all times (we moved it into our room so he wouldn't be lonely) or keep him on a leash at our feet. Last night I sat on the floor and read for an hour with his head in my lap. He's going to be extremely spoiled after these 8 wks and then he'll be in for a rude awakening... BABY.

Wednesday I got a prenatal massage. A sweet friend is in the process of receiving certification to perform these massages. Part of the certification requires you to do 2 free massages and have the ladies fill out an evaluation. When she offered, I jumped on it! It was absolutely amazing!!! I need one of those every day :) This little girl seems to like her butt right in my ribs and that leads to some back pain.

Happy Thursday ya'll~!

On Our Anniversary

Two years ago I woke up to my sister and had a full day of wedding fun ahead of me. Today I woke up to the man of my dreams who I am so thankful chose to marry me that day two years ago.

Alot has happened in the last two years. We have moved from an apartment to a house that's our own. We have a dog and a baby on the way. We've completed a big chunk of school. Changed jobs (well I did and Patrick wishes he did). We've had our hard times but thankfully WAY more good times.

On October 4, 2008 we voluntarily chose to bind ourselves to one another in love. I could never imagine choosing a better man to bind myself to. I am so in love with Patrick James Schreiner it blows my mind. He is not perfect and neither am I but together we are striving to love each other and our Lord more and more.

Being married has taught me an amazing amount about the unfailing love of Christ and his relationship with his bride. As I see very plainly how Patrick and I fail each other I see even more how we fail our Lord. Yet when I see the love we still have for each other and the commitment we daily live out to one another I see Christ's unchanging love and perfect faithfulness toward his people. I see how the Lord is daily refining us and using our relationship with each other to make us more like Him.

I look forward with great anticipation to the many many years we have ahead of us. I am thrilled that I get to be the helpmate to this man. What an honor! What a joy to serve him. I am thrilled that when I am sitting at home with (hopefully) many kids and feel overwhelmed that Patrick will be the one coming home to help and love me in the midst of all our craziness. I am loving the fact that my kids get to have him as a Dad and I'll get to admire his love for them. I can't wait to grow old with Patrick. He's the only one I'd ever want to spend my life with.

I heard this song by Andrew Peterson and really liked it. It's called "Dancing in the minefields." I feel like is often the way marriage is. Here's a video of the song with the lyrics written out below.

well I was 19 you were 21, the year we got engaged
everyone said we were much to young, but we did it anyway
we got the rings for 40 each from a pawnshop down the road
we said our vows and took the leap now 15 years ago
we went dancing in the minefields
we went sailing in the storms
and it was harder than we dreamed
but I believe that’s what the promise is for

well ‘I do’ are the two most famous last words; the beginning of the end
but to lose your life for another I’ve heard is a good place to begin
cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down
and I believe it’s an easy price for the life that we have found

and we’re dancing in the minefields
we’re sailing in the storm
and this is harder than we dreamed
but I believe that’s what the promise is for
that’s what the promise is for

so when I lose my way, find me
when I loose love's chains, bind me
at the end of all my faith
to the end of all my days
when I forget my name, remind me

cause we bear the light of the son of man
so there’s nothing left to fear
so I’ll walk with you in the shadow lands
'til the shadows disappear

cause he promised not to leave us,
and his promises are true
so in the face of this chaos baby,
i can dance with you

so lets go dancing in the minefields
lets go sailing in the storms
oh lets go dancing in the minefields
and kicking down the doors
oh lets go dancing in the minefields
and sailing in the storms
oh this is harder than we dreamed
but I believe that’s what the promise if for
that’s what the promise is for

PJS I love you!!! Happy 2 years!

30w 6d

I'm 31 wks tomorrow. Went to the doctor this morning for my normal check up and everything is going well!

I weighed in at 138 (total gain 20lbs)
Blood Pressure was good at 100/60
Her heart beat was in the 150's
I measured 30 cm

All is well!!!

Today is mine and Patrick's 2 yr anniversary. We are going to dinner tonight to celebrate. I love you Patrick!!

also... our friend Alex is in labor right now! please pray for her and baby. pray that she would have a safe delivery and everyone would be healthy.