Random Thoughts

I'm participating in NaBloPoMo (national blog posting month) again this year. I did it last year, so I should be able to do it again. To participate you have to agree to post every day for the month of November, and add your blog to the NaBloPoMo blogroll. At the end of the month there are prizes randomly drawn for those who completed their month of posts. I'm not too optimistic though because I never win things and there is over 10,000 bloggers participating. I love it when some of my favorite bloggers participate though because I'm guaranteed some good reading!
I think Thanksgiving is becoming one of my favorite holidays. Fall is definetly my favorite season, and I so often need to remember all of the things I have to be thankful for. I'm working on a post to show you some of the fun things Rylie and I have been working on for Thanksgiving. I have also made a few Christmas presents, but I can't show you those until after Christmas for obvious reasons.
I'm in love with Starbucks Mocha Peppermint Twist (nonfat of course)! They have the holiday red cups out now. I can't wait to try the Gingerbread and Eggnog lattes too.
I have been sick for days and days now. I tried to call in sick to work, but my two little brunettes just laughed at me. I felt bad but I had to cancel out on four of the events I had planned for this weekend, plus church. My wonderful husband came home early last night to help with the girls and brought me some medicine that helped me sleep. I think I'm on the upswing now.
It has been interesting working with ECC women on the Christmas Tea. It is our first taste of merger life. If the merger goes through it will be exciting to see all of the fun things we have planned come to fruition. What a blessing to have two families coming together as one!
My Grandpa has an Aortic Aneurysm. It doesn't quite meet the requirements for surgery but if it grows any bigger then he will have to have surgery on it. Please continue to pray for he and my Grandma's salvation. My Grandma is in remission this month! She will have her blood work done next month to see if she remains that way.
Rylie told me the other day that she wants "a brother that won't go to Heaven". She said that she thinks I should have three baby boys in my tummy! She said she was going to pray about that! She was also concerned about our baby in Heaven not having a bottle. She asked if she could take a bottle with her when she dies so Providence could have it in Heaven. Every once in awhile she will bring things up to me about the baby. She is convinced that it was a boy and always calls it her little brother. A few times she's told people in the doctors office or store that she has a baby sister, Anna and a baby brother who is in Heaven. It's interesting to watch their faces when she says that! The other day she asked me if her brother could come back from Heaven and move to where we live now because she was missing him. It has provided great discussions about Heaven and God's sovereignty.
I haven't written much about Patty, my mother-in-love, because she is not necessarily wanting all of her health information out their on the world wide web. Please continue to pray for her though. The meeting we had with the Oncologist was not very encouraging. She has pretty much made her mind up not to do chemo, for a lot of reasons. Please pray for the whole family.
Selfishly, I ask for prayer for my husband too. I want to make it all better for him and I can't. Thankfully, he is relying on our sovereign, loving, Heavenly Father!

Weigh In and Updates

Drum roll please . . . One Pound! Actually I'm pleased. There were two weeks of not loosing anything, so to see the scale move in the right direction was encouraging. My total so far is ten pounds lost! I am also pleased because I grew lax in counting my calories and was more estimating them, so I was worried that perhaps I had gained weight. This week I'm back on track of counting those calories closely.
Ryan didn't loose any this week, but he was also pleased that he didn't gain any either. He has been way too busy and preoccupied to count his calories the last few weeks.
We have had a fun week so far. Monday night, our friends, Chantal and Justin came over to have dinner with us and the Groth's. The Groth's are the missionaries Ryan and I (and Rylie in my belly) went to minister with in Poland four years ago. They were home on furlough so it was great to catch up with them. Justin and Chantal are planning a trip to Poland in March to minister with them.
Tuesday, I had a Women's Ministry Board meeting. (Ladies from Valley, please plan on attending our mini retreat Oct. 3-4. We are planning some great things for it!) After our meeting, Becky took Anna home with her and Ryan, Rylie and I all went to Panda Express for dinner and then saw Kung Foo Panda at the dollar theater! Since Ryan has been so busy lately he thought it would be good to spend some extra time with Rylie. She really enjoyed the evening, especially the popcorn!
Yesterday, the girls and I went to Borders. My secret sister gave me a gift card for there! (If you read this, thank you!!!) It was fun browsing for the first few minutes then both girls realized they did not enjoy looking at Mommy books. I should have known better! At any rate, we came home with a book for Daddy on poor grammar (I call him my grammar nazi), a pop up Cinderella book for the girls, my favorite movie (Bride and Prejudice, a modern Bollywood remake of Jane Austin's classic), and a novel for me (I, Elizabeth). They did not have the best selection of Christian books. Almost all the good ones they had, we already own, either at home, or in Ryan's office at Church.
I think I might take the girls to the fair tomorrow morning. If you go before noon you can get in for free tomorrow!