So, it's been forever since I have posted. A lot has happened in these past months~but all of it has been great!
We welcomed our son, Ben, into the world on July 11, 2010. He has changed me in every way. I cannot express the love I have for him, and those smiles melt my heart every day! The first few months with him were quite an adjustment. He was colicky for 2 months, but seems to have finally gotten over that!

He is growing quickly~rolling over, sitting up and now standing with help! I have started him on solids, and he is loving it! My goal is to make my own baby food as soon as he is ready for it. I have the time, and it seems like common sense instead of buying it :)

We have begun the process of house hunting! I'm ready to be out of this apartment and find something to call our own. Hopefully the next few months will find us in our first house as a married couple. We really want to find something to fix up with substantial land. Building is not on our list!
Thanksgiving is upon us, and with that comes traveling! Going to visit my Meme in Penn. over the holiday. I'm so glad she will be able to meet her great-grandson before he is a toddler. Haven't seen my family in so long~it will be great to catch up!

My Brother

Dear Bro:
There have been soo many things I've wanted to tell you lately. Mostly that I miss you beyond words, and hope one day we will be a family again. I've been reminiscing lately, and I'm sure these memories would make you smile!
Remember when I was just learning to crawl, and you were watching the tv while Mom was down the hall getting ready for work. I crawled up to you and yanked your hair, then sat back and bawled! Mom came hurrying down the hallway asking you what you did to me. You just looked at her with a confused expression and said, "Nothing, mom."
This happened once more before Mom decided to sneak back to watch what was going on. She saw me slowly crawl up behind you and yank your hair really hard then sit back and start wailing! You just sat there they whole time and never flinched! When you had the chance to get me in trouble, you didn't. You were a great big brother from the start.
How about the time when I was 3, and took a roll of Duct Tape and wound it around your body while you were sitting on the floor? Ha ha! You just sat there and let me do it! Ouch! Can't imagine how it felt coming off!
Remember when you and I went to New York in 2001, after MeMe had the aneurysm? We were in the hospital visiting her and I was really thirsty? I hated going anywhere by myself, so you decided to take me to the vending machines. I only had a $10 bill, and decided I'd put that in the quarter exchange machine. Will you ever forget the sound of 4o quarters hitting the floor?? And to top it all off, I didn't have pockets so you had to carry them all in your jeans!!
Do you remember when you took me out and taught me how to drive? You laughed sooo hard when you saw I had one foot on the brake and the other on the gas pedal!
I miss those days. And wish I could have them back. You were such an amazing brother, and I always wanted to be like you. You were my best friend, and someone I could always go to when I was sad. You cheered me up regardless of the day I had. I could never stay mad at you, because you knew how to make me laugh. I just hope that when I have a lil boy, he will be just like you were to his sister! I love and miss you soo much!!!
Love,
Your Sis

Childhood Memories

Never thought I would be one to start a blog, but now that I'm home a lot, I have extra time on my hands!! So to get started, I will tell you a little about my life!
I was raised primarily by my Mother, as my parents got a divorce when I was 3 years old. I moved around quite a bit after the divorce, but finally ended up in New Vineyard in 1996. By far, I have the fondest memories of my childhood living in that small town! I loved my home, close neighbors, the nearness of Porter Lake, and the back roads that me and my brother rode our bikes up and down. I had so much fun playing in our woods, digging in our sandpit, and catching frogs in our "frog pond"! I never had a care in the world!!
I started school in the fall of 1996, when I was almost 7. I attended a private Christian school that was a part of our church. My first year there was horrible to say the least! I had no desire to leave my mom everyday just so I could sit at a small desk and learn how to read and spell correctly. The only part I really enjoyed about school were the trips to the swing-set after we had completed our work for the day. My small class of 6 would swing, sing songs, then have a story time out in the field by the school. I loved those special times!
My elementary years dragged on, and I was usually bored in school. I had amazing teachers who were extremely patient with me, and I was taught and challenged with my work. However, I always seemed to have it finished before lunchtime. So the rest of my afternoon was spent reading, reading, reading. This is when I truly fell in love with books.
I rarely was allowed to watch tv at homes, so I became a lil bookworm! I devoured books and was always searching for something new to read. Quickly, I fell for the adventures locked up in The Hardy Boys, Sugar Creek Gang, and Nancy Drew. I let my imagination run wild and would then re-create the adventures with my neighbor friends. We would play for hours outside; trading off who could be the bad guys, and who got the special privelge of being the hero. Often, I got stuck playing the girl who didn't have much part in the story, but I found other ways to weedle into the fun!
As I got older, my taste in books changed, but not my love for them! I moved on to more challenging things, and slowly started perusing works by Charles Dickens. Soon, my favorite store was Twice Sold Tales, and I would search the shelves for Dickens' books. I quickly became fascinated with old Classics, and started saving my money to start my own collection.
School was still dragging, and by this time, I was in my final high-school years. I did enjoy school, but counted the days when I could be done, and finding something different then what had consumed my life for the past 13 years. My life had changed a lot in the past year, details I will save for a different blog, but I no longer had the family I had grown up with and loved. I now lived with my father, and was building a relationship with a man I never really knew. My father is amazing! I can't believe how much I missed in my childhood years without him! Quickly, I found how similar our personalities were, as well as our dry sense of humor, and the good-nature kidding that leaves people wondering if we are serious or not. My months living with my dad are ones I will always cherish!
School is now over, and as I think back to all the wonderful childhood memories I have, I cannot wait to re-create the fun I had with my lil baby on the way. I look forward to becoming a mother, and can't wait for the memories we will make together!