Taking a Poll

So I just want to try something because I'm curious.

How many people think that it is the man's job to lock the doors and shut off all the lights every night?
Who thinks it doesn't matter?
And how many have mother's who always did it?

You see, Richard and I have this debate every once in a while in our relationship. Now don't get me wrong, this is not a big issue at all, and I still love him (even though you can probably tell we don't have the same opinion on this). I grew up where my dad is always the one who did this sort of thing. Richard grew up, where I guess, it didnt' really matter and it wasn't a big deal (Gardner's correct me if I'm wrong about this). So for me, when i have to be the one to turn out the lights because he didn't even consider it?!!! for some reason, its a big deal. So I have a very strong feeling about this (especially since I've been pregnant :-)) and just want to know what people think about this, or if other couples have discussed this before.

(Now please no one take me the wrong way, this is not an issue that matters for life, and I still love Richard very much. ) Just Curious

Update

Hello Everyone,

We have been pretty busy lately with things. Richard has finals this week and then will be done with a very hard semester (Last mandated class of Greek, first Hebrew class, and a theology class, very demanding all 3). He has been so busy and has had so much regular work (he works a 24 hour response job, and has had some long days and nights in the cold weather) and school work and other things that demand this time (visitors, moving, and a pregnant wife), that this semester has been so tiring for him. But we can see the end now and are so thankful and he has learned a lot.

I love this time of year especially this year. I am always comparing it to last year at this time. We had just moved and had just found jobs and hadn't really gone to church much. So I made a ton of cookies and had no one to give them to and no Christmas parties to go to. It was kinda sad, but we were excited about our new life at the same time. This year, we have a wonderful church family and friends, and work is very steady and fine and have a very nice apartment, and I am pregnant. :-) So this year is so much fun for me. All the events and planning to do. All the people to share my baking with, which I love to do. It has just been very fun.

Also in about a week and 2 days we will be flying home to Ecuador and my whole family will be together!!!!!! (another huge thing that is so much fun for me).

One thing that happened last week, is that my mom had a mini stroke from high blood pressure. We got the news on thurs early afternoon, and the news was pretty bad at first. slowly we started finding more out, and finally by Saturday I had talked to my mom and she is doing much better. We were praying so hard for her, and it was hard not knowing what actually happened or not being able to talk with either of my parents. (We are so thankful to the Dull family for keeping us updated so often though). it was a very scary thing for her to go through and for our family. She fell from a high chair when she passed out, and hit her head. She did have some memory loss for a few hours, but now she at least remembers she has 4 kids and 3 married daugthers. :-) (Richard said, I'm glad she remembered who I was. :-), he is so funny). She is on bedrest now for a few more days, and is taking it seriously which I'm happy for. And now has a doctor in Ecuador that is helping her monitor it, and gave her a better medicine for the high altitude. All in all, God protected her and worked out the situation because it could've been a lot worse, but it is good now, and she will take it more seriously now. :-) Here is a picture of my mom with my twin and I, its not that good of a picture of her but I love her to death.

I love my mother very much. She is so organized and on top of everything, and always very even-keiled (sp?) about everything. Never overreacts about things and always does everything she has to do in plenty of time. She did teach me about getting everything on the list done. :-) She is the most thoughtful person that I know, and I hope that one day I will be like her in that way. If you think of it, still pray that the blood pressure stays manageable and that nothing like that happens again.

I am now 24 weeks pregnant (almost 25) and feeling great. I still have one pair of pants that still fit me from my pre-pregnancy days, which I was excited about. I am starting to gain weight steadily now, which hopefully I can keep under control. The baby moves a lot and I like that feeling most of the time.

So I will probably not write until I'm in Ecuador or possibly back from Ecuador, and we are just basically enjoying Christmas parties with friends, and a 1st yr bday party for my nephew, and going to Ecuador. I can't wait, and we will have an extra sweet time with my mother now, cherishing her. :-)

2 Year Anniversary

Well Richard and I are celebrating out 2nd anniversary today!!!

Its so much fun being married. Richard was just saying yesterday that he can't believe we have probably spent more than 720 nights together (we didn't add them up exactly). That is one of the great perks to being married is that we can go to bed together and wake up together, that is so comforting. (especially since I always hated sleeping by myself before and always got scared). Richard is an amazing man, so wise and patient with me. I have loved every journey that we have embarked on together so far. We are about to enter a completely new phase of life with children but we both keep saying how nice it is that we are doing it together.
Thank you God for planning to bring us together and to use us and our relationship to glorify your name. Thank you God for protecting him and guiding him. Thank you Lord for seeing fit that we live this life together and Thank You for Richard!!! :-)

Pregnancy pics

This is me at 16 weeks!!And this is me at 18 weeks. (this was after the big move, in our new kitchen which is so nice. I am very tired at this point, but making it through. I still have been working full time and organizing the house in 4 days with now hot water, heat, or cooking gas. Thankfully the gas did get turned on at about 8:30 last night. But the house is ready for visitors coming today and we love the new place.)

A Big Week

Oh Man, I don't even know where to start with this post. Life has been a little crazy around our house. it started out with us finding an apartment. And all the details fitting in to place, for this wonderful new apartment, with great tenants next to us and a wonderful landlord who so generously has lowered the cost and made things very convenient for us. (I feel like there are so many details about this whole week, I will probably forget some). We were trying to think about when to move and how everything would work out. We were looking at guests coming, and school work and projects, work, and weather, and everything. Well come last monday about a week ago, through some circumstances and thinking, I said to Richard "We have to move this weekend, or we won't have time to move". So we thought about it that night, he called both landlords (old and new) and by tues night we had just decided to go ahead and move. Things kept falling into place, and God made it so obvious the rest of the week that he was guiding us and we were following His direction. Tuesday night was the only night that I didn't have anywhere to go. So Melissa (richard's sister) came over and helped me get started and we got a huge chunk of the apartment done. Slowly in every spare moment I packed up as much stuff as I could. My sister Jerelyn and her family so graciously told us that they would come up to help, and that was so huge. I'm telling you, we are forever indebted to them. They did so much for us this past weekend.
Quite a few people offered to help us move and by Saturday morning they were showing up and I think we did pretty good with getting our stuff in order before they all showed up considering the circumstances. God also worked it out so that our old landlord found someone to move into out old apartment and said he would not hold us to our lease, so that was a huge answer to our prayers and we will get our months rent and security deposit back and are not responsible for the utilities in that apartment. And our new landlord is only charging us $250 for the month of november and then starting the lease in December. God is providing for us in amazing ways. Oh I forgot one thing, throughout all last week, Richard was trying to find time in between his usual busyness to put in a washer/dryer hook up with a friend of ours. So that took up a lot of time.
Oh and Friday we also took the afternoon off and had our first ultrasound. It was amazing and so cool. We found out we are having a BOY!!!!! Richard is very happy, and I am excited now. I'm just so glad that everything is healthy, I am healthy, and the baby is kicking like crazy. :-)
So we got completely out of the apartment on Saturday (by the way, I think Jerelyn cleaned my whole old apartment for me, and I am so thankful for that, even my bathroom and oven).
We had a lot to do in the next couple days because we have guests arriving tomorrow!!!!!
Richard's brother Jason, and his wife Autumn and daugther Aspen are coming to visit!!! I am so excited to see them and cannot wait. It will be such a nice time.
But thankfully with so much help from so many people the house is livable and pretty inviting for guests. Stuff isn't out on the walls or set up really, but furniture is in place and boxes are at least stacked (the ones that are still unpacked, I have gotten to quite a few of them). The wasehr/dryer hook up is finally ready to go.
The only downside to this whole story is that there was a big miscommunication with the landlord and our gas has been shut off. There was nothing we could do about that over the weekend, and when we called yesterday, they couldn't come until today. So we have had no hot water, heat or cooking gas. But today I hope it wil be fixed. The heat situation is great though, no heat and we are still very comfortable in the apartment (very contrary to our other apartment) and we have been borrowing showers from friends for the time being.
Richard has thankfully been able to keep up with his homework on top of putting everything together and fixing things. Not as much as he would like, but at least enough to turn things in and take quizes and tests.
God is good and leading us and providing for us, and loves us. We are so amazed at how through just trusting him he has provided for all our needs. I am very very tired and exhausted from moving, lifting probably more than I should and staying up late, but we are nice and comfortable in a wonderful apartment that is a perfect place to start a family.
I will post pics of apartment and my belly as soon as I find time to find the jump drive and copy the pictures onto it to load up. :-) Thanks all for reading this.

Feeling the baby Move!!!

Just a quick note to tell everyone that I'm pretty sure I can feel the baby moving. I have wondered for at least a week or more now. I"m pretty sure now that it is the baby moving. I love the feeling and it is not too often. Well actually the last 2 days I have felt the baby multiple times on multiple occasions. I know everyone describes it differently but for me it is literally like someone or something is brushing their arm up against the inside of me. It is a little weird but so nice at the same time. I wish that I could feel that all day long, it is sort of a comforthing thing. I know in like 10 more weeks I will want it to stop and it will disrupt my sleep (I add that for all those mothers who will probably already say that to me. :-)) but for now I am enjoying it.
My ultrasound is exactly a week from now, and as the date approaches I get more and more excited to see the baby and find out what we are having. :-)
We also found an apartment and now are trying to work out all the details of timing for moving and all of that stuff. Kinda a little stressful, but I need to be patient and trust that God knows how it will all work out already.

Fall!!!

Yes, I'm one of those crazy people that love when the weather starts getting colder. Fall is my favorite time of year. The crip weather, the colors. Its just seems so refreshing after the hot summer days. I love the clothes too, Jeans and sweatshirts are my favorite.

Pregnancy update: I am currently 15 weeks pregnant. My belly is starting to pop out, and starting to not fit inot very many clothes. I'm at the stage now where I look like I have a pot belly, and feel like I should wear a sign, "its not a pot bellly, its a baby". :-) Here is a recent pic I took.

Richard has had the month of October off of classes. (the school has module classes going on this month). But instead of working on homework, his job has been so busy. So we are just plugging along, hoping to make it through. (I know we will).

We are also looking to move to a new apartment when our lease is up in November, so we are in the middle of looking all over for one. Please pray if you think of it, for a perfect price and situation.

I have made the move to the Scranton office, so my drive is about 10 min, and that is only because of traffic lights. :-) Its only 2 miles from my house. I love the change, and so far everything is going well.

A Praise: All of us Mayfield kids will be in Ecuador for Christmas time. We all bought tickets, although expensive but we all have them. It was a big relief to finally get them, and we will all love being together. I will be about 6 months pregnant, and Jerelyn will have her baby. Our family is expanding, but we love it. We are going to cherish the times we have together so much.