1st hair cut

Well, it's taken me forever to decide what to do about getting his hair cut. After going back and forth about all my options and just putting it off for so long b/c I didn't know which one to do - I just called my hair dresser and set up an appointment. I did have to pay for it - but she did so good with him, and I was glad I took him there. He looks so cute now. So he looks all handsome in time for our fun trip next weekend.

Jehovah Jireh

So the past couple weeks I have been so amazed at how God has provided for our needs. Backing up a little bit before the past couples weeks, Richard and I were pretty discouraged about some things that didn't work out, confused about what to do, and worried about how things were going to work out in a few different big areas of our lives. It was so easy (and I'm not going to lie, I was) to be discouraged and thinking nothing "good" happens to us, we have to work for everything we have, God isn't working in our lives, or it was really hard to see.

But right now I want to take the time to praise God who does provide. I hope that I learned my lesson and will be able to do this even in the harder times. GOd thank you so much for your goodness whether I see it daily or not, you are Good.

-A man in our church gave Richard a whole set of new (to us, and relatively new in general) golf clubs. Now Richard has been saying for a long time that he wanted some new clubs, but of course that is not probable right now in our lives. But this wonderful man knew Richard loved golf and didn't need them anymore and just completely gave them to us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Yesterday 5-21-10 Richard brought home a garbage bag full of non perishable food that he got from his work!!!!! This will help out so so much. (pictured above)

-Richard has been really needing work pants. every single pair he wears to work have massive holes in the knees - but who wants to spend money on work pants. So today a local church had a big free yard sale. i guess church people donate everything to church and everything is free. So we went to that and richard got 3 new pairs of pants, and I got some stuff for Carson for next winter, and some other little things. so so helpful and wonderful timing.

-We were looking for a toddler bed for Carson for when the new baby is born - we almost bought one on craigslist but at last minute decided not to - someone else from our church called and was getting rid of hers, so she is willing to just give it to us!!!! So wonderful and I'm so glad we waited on purchasing the other one.

-I was really worried about pregnancy clothes for me (carson's pregnancy I borrowed just about all my clothes from a friend, but she has moved away and I couldn't borrow them this time) - well in a lot of various ways, I have all the pregnancy cltohes I need and so littl emoney spent. I bougth some at yard sales, and a pregnancy crisis center, and a lot of people have let me borrow stuff too. So thankful for that.

We are so so thankful for it God taking care of each of our needs

1 Year Old

So this post has been delayed a little bit - but who cares. My son and I have achieved one year of being together and figuring each other out!!!! That feels like such a great accomplishment. I was so excited about his party. It's just a huge milestone for a first time mother and I love to plan things like this. My parents were able to be here for it, and that is something we will cherish forever, and never thought would happen.

I made the cakes for it - and they turned out great (although I did have help from my husband and my father). I had always said in the past that I would be terrible at making cool birthday cakes, but I had an idea and tried to do it. I would never have pulled it off without the help from my husband who is persistent at figuring things out though. so Saturday afternoon before the party I plunged into the challenge. After a whole afternoon of frosting, and a kitchen full of frosting all over the place. Here is the outcome. ( I made the frosting from scratch but added too much milk, and it was so runny after adding just about a whole bag more of powdered sugar, I sent Richard to the store to just buy some - hence the kitchen full of frosting.) But they turned out so good.

We just had family, our neighbors and a friend who lives close to us come over. So thankful for the day and the fun. I had meatballs, wings, pasta salad, veggies, and fruit salad for the food. And a really good punch too. Our theme was sports so that is why we did the soccer ball and the golf course cakes. I had an easter egg hunt for all the kids, and then had favors of diff kind of ball for everyone. i think everyone enjoyed themselves.

Carson started walking exactly a week before he turned 1. I thought it would never happen b/c he walked on his knees for like 5 months. But he finally did. Although the process of him walking all the time has taken longer than I expected too. But he is finally walking all over the place and getting faster. I just think it's so cute to see him toddling around.

Once I hit this mile stone I don't catch myself thinking about the next stage that much. If you've read my blog at all you know how much of an impatient person i tend to be. So always before i was always anticipating him being that next month older that by the time he hit that marker, I was on to the next one and didn't always enjoy the moment. But now that we have reached one yr, I feel like things are going good. i don't wait for him to be a different age now.

Now the big challenge is discipline and teaching him. I heard someone say just yesterday - "train your child to obey by the time he's 2 and things will be easier. " Which is just the philosophy I wanted to keep, now I know it is possible. So We are working on obeying and understanding what I mean when I say something. He does have a strong will, but I'm determined to be stronger than him. :-) I've really been praying a lot that God would help me to train him to be a godly man, and to be a well disciplined child. With God's help I face each new stubborn act of Carson's. :-)

But looking at this cute picture I bet you would never know he is stubborn :-)

Meghan Osborne

I can't believe it's been 6yrs. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was so young and not ready for it at all!. I was roommates and soccer team mates with a wonderful Meggo - she, I felt, took me under her wing and showed me a lot about truly searching the scriptures and context and making my faith my own and learning. she was very smart and very mindful of theology and didn't believe it women dumbing down the Bible for themselves. She was so unique about so many things and so honest with herself and us about her weaknesses. Such a good leader. She died in a terrible car accident with another girl 6 yrs ago. The reality of our lives after death in heaven was so real to me after that. I learned so much about the Hope we have as believers and the grace that God gives through our lives. Even though we were sad b/c our good friend and mentor and soccer team mate was not with us - we were so happy for her to be with her father who we all knew she lived for and loved and looked forward to the day she was with him. even today my heart is heavy thinking about everything - but at the same time so excited to see her one day in heaven and thankful God did bring her into my life to show me what it's like to live the Christian life following God with all your heart.

Marriage Conference

This past weekend Richard and I went to a marraige conference that the seminary put on for us. We didn't know if we should go and went back and forth, but we finally went- Boy I'm glad we did too. The topic was on Solomon's song. It was so neat to go through the book and see how we are meant to enjoy and love this gift and reward of marriage. It was only one night a camp down in the pocono area. There was only 4 other couples plus the speaker and his wife and another teacher at the seminary with his wife. A wonderful small group and we really got to know the other couples better. There was plenty of free time to spend with Richard and to talk about what we were learning. So refreshing and neat to look through that book and see how that couple celebrated each other. So good for our marriage. Plus my parents were able to watch Carson, and of course they loved that.
THis week is filled with things. My parents are coming back through today and staying for almost a week, which I really love the company especially during the day and if Richard works late. (One last time with them before they go back to Ecuador) I have my first Doctor's appt. on weds for 10 week check up and we should be able to hear the heart beat. A MUCH NEEDED haircut on thursday. I have an all day training for work on Friday. One year pictures for carson on Saturday, and his big 1 yr party on Sunday with family. I love looking forward to these things and enjoying them.

You heard Right -

Yup - We are expecting baby #2. We are both so so excited to share this news with the blogger world. I am 8 weeks along and am due oct 14th. I go to the doctor on the 17th for the first time. We are super excited to keep adding to our family. I just hope we can love this baby as much as we love Carson and that this baby is as cute as Carson. hahaha. JK. So far I have not been feeling too well. Although never throwing up - just very nauseous and gagging a lot!!! I'm learning what things to do to help with the gross feeling and it's been manageable - but of course I have that overwhelming tired feeling that goes with it. It is a lot worse than I remember it being with Carson, but a lot of women have told me that each pregnancy it got worse for them. Other than the sickness we are all doing great and looking forward to having another child.

The last few weeks

So It's been quite a few weeks in my immediate family - with my mom with some health problems. Without going into too much detail - she had surgery and is recovering very good from that. And we were thankful to find out that the tumor she had was benign so we did not have to face Cancer. She had her surgery in Altoon PA (3 hrs from here) so I drove down there for a few days and helped her and mostly just kept her company. I loved the 2 days I took off of work and the extra time to read and make jewelry, plus I got to see my sister and her boys.

Carson still is not walking - although he likes to walk on his Knees. hahaha. He'll walk all the way across the room on his knees without even going onto all 4s to crawl. His shins have bruises on them from walking like that, but he is starting to even refuse to try to walk when we try to have him stand. Oh well. I guess it will happen when it happens. For months now he has been walking along furniture and holding on to things, but everytime he realizes you're trying to get him to let go and stand on his own or take a step towards daddy, he falls to his knees. I thought that he would be walking by Christmas time b/c he went from crawling to standing so fast, but i guess I was way wrong.

I was starting to think that Carson would never learn to do things b/c he just doesn't pay attention when you talk to him or try to teach him things - but finally he is clapping and kissing (which by the way - the cutest thing ever) and sometimes I think he is trying to imitate words that we say, like "boo" or "dadda" or "mamma" or "bravo" or "yeah". but it seems slow going. (coming from the impatient mother hahahaha). He is developing such a cute personality and loves attention, Gets into anything he can - but knows his boundaries. he moved up to a bigger kid nusery (not the baby nursery) and I peaked in last Sunday and he was sitting at the little table eating animal crackers with the other kids - I can't tell you how my heart skipped a beat with love and adoration for this little guy that is getting bigger and cuter every day. :-)

I know I say this every post - but I just absolutely love spending my days with him and being his mother.

For Valentine's Day we had a big weekend. :-) Richard had asked Melissa (his sister) to watch Carson overnight and we went to a place in the poconos and spent the night. I was super excited about it, but as it got closer I got more and more anxious about leaving him. I was fine after we left him and he really did fine without me. :( we had a great time by ourselves and really just relaxed a lot. We watched a movie (When in Rome) which was cute. Went out to eat, and then shopped at some outlets. it felt like how it used to be before Carson was born. But boy did I miss him and we were fighting over who was going to get him first once we picked him up. hahahaha. I was so thankful to get away like that and relax and not wake up to feed someone else breakfast, and I'm so thankful for a husband who planned that for us. Of course we don't have any pics b/c Carson wasn't with us - and i didn't buy any clothes except for him - I guess b/c I'm a mother now. hahahah

So that's the update on us Gardners.