It's been a while

I'm not even sure where to start, it's been such a long time since I posted. So much is going on right now, but I love it. I enjoy it when life gets busy, but not so busy it's stressful. My piano students are all PCSing (for those of you who are non-military, that means "Permanent Change of Station" - moving.) So now I only have two left, and they will be leaving soon, too. This scares me a little, just because it means I will make no more money, but it's a blessing as well, because now I will have some time to prepare for the baby. God is good. I think I will just put the rest of what's happening these days in list format, not in any particular sort of order. (I'll try to be chronological.)

~ I'm up to running a full mile or a bit over about twice a week now. Soon I will be attempting it three times a week. And I'm hitting my seventh month of pregnancy. This is GREAT! My only problem is, I have a terribly hard time getting myself to get out there and actually do it. Here's a conversation in my head from this past week: "Oh man. I really don't want to." "But...but you keep saying you WILL! Don't cop out on me now..." "But it's still kinda cold outside, and my running clothes are dirty and..." "Oh for goodness sake! Your running clothes will be dirty and sweaty ANYWAY by the time you're done, what's the difference?" "Well, ok. Maybe I'll just take a long WALK today." "Yeah, there you go! Put on your running clothes, grab your mp3 player, and pretend you're going to take a walk."
...And on it goes. I seriously have to psyche myself out to get outside and go. I've taken to just pretending I won't really run, but then of course I do once I'm all geared up and warmed up. It works for now.

~We paid off our entire car loan and are now officially debt free! Hurray! No more loans ever again.

~ Scott's sister, Hannah, came out to Alaska to visit last month, and we had a lot of fun. We "kidnapped" her and took her to Anchorage, which is about 8 hours away. We'd been planning this for MONTHS. Someone accidentally gave it away at church to her, but she had no idea what day we were going, and was duly surprised when we told her we were going to Fairbanks to take pictures, and ended up being in the car for 8 hours. And on this trip, Scott surprised ME too...

~...with a Canon Rebel T2i!!! I've been wanting this camera for a very long time. We stopped at a turn out along the road where there was some pretty scenery to take pictures. I started to get out of the car, and Scott said, "You don't have your camera." Confused, I showed him the little bag dangling from my hand where my old camera was and replied, "Yes I do." To which he responded, "No, you don't." I pretty much shoved the bag in his face (politely of course) and said, "Yeah I do, it's right here." He shook his head, and pulled out a much bigger camera case and told me, "Now you do." Completely shocked, I opened the bag to find this wonderful camera. I couldn't actually believe it at first. I was stunned. It's an amazing camera and I'm learning a lot about it. So exciting. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to post pictures in this blog. Scott had been running two "cons" as he calls them, keeping the camera secret from me and the Anchorage secret from Hannah, and Hannah and I were in on both secrets from each other. She helped him with the camera, and I helped him with the Anchorage planning. Scott says it's very hard to do this. I think he deserves a medal or something. :)

First scenery picture taken with my MARVELOUS camera. Ok, it's not really an amazing shot, but it's the first so I'm posting it anyway. 

~We are moving out of our apartment May 31st. The slight problem is that we don't have a place to move TO yet. We're looking at a couple of duplexes (two different ones) today in our search for a new home. I've really liked this little apartment, we've lived here for a year, and even though it's small (which we don't mind) it has a nice, open floor plan, huge windows overlooking a beautiful lake, two decent sized rooms, and everything else we could need. But it is not suitable for a baby, so alas, we must settle somewhere else. I will miss our first home as newlyweds, but it will be for the best. For one thing, we won't have to deal with coin-op washers and dyers anymore, we'll have our own. (To me, that's an essential for a having a baby around, everything is so expensive up here, including coin-op laundry.) This apartment is also an upstairs unit, and I'm not comfortable with the idea of having to lug a baby, a diaper bag, my purse, etc. up and down stairs every time I enter or leave the apartment. There's an accident waiting to happen. Also, being a family of musicians, we have no room for both a baby and for our seemingly hundreds of instruments, plus all our recreational equipment such as bikes, gun target, rock climbing gear, board games, sewing machine and craft supplies, etc. And another important reason: the walls in this apartment are SO thin, we can hear the neighbors do EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. (*coughgotothebathroomcough*) and I'm afraid if the baby likes screaming at 2:00 am every morning we're going to keep the poor neighbors awake all the time. I'm rather hopeful about the duplexes we're looking at today. They're not a house like we were hoping for, but they are both separated by the garages so we're certain we won't be a bother to the neighbors.

~I just finished my very first crochet project, a hat! I'm so excited I actually finished something. Next thing I'm going to do: an afghan. Bring it on!

This is my hat. I am happy. :D

~And of course I have to mention progress with the little one. I am now 27 weeks along and very excited. The baby lately has been kicking me so hard it actually HURTS... I had no idea he could do that. He likes kicking my bladder too, so I have lots of moments, particularly in the evening, where I get startled a lot. It's rather comical. I can hardly WAIT to see him, feel him, smell him (is that weird?), hold him in my arms instead of my stomach. I am so much looking forward to seeing his personality develop, and enjoying every stage of his babyhood. I know that it will be hard, and that there will be tears as well, but I will take the bad with the amazing good. My prayer for this little one is always first and foremost that he come to passionately know, love, and serve our incredible Saviour.

~There's lots more, but I'll leave with this one last thing. But it's definitely not the least. In fact, I saved it for last because I think it is the most wonderful thing that's happened all year. My brother, who is about a year younger than I, and who has gone through a lot of agony and rebellion all these years, has just recently accepted Christ as his Lord. This happened about a month ago, but I am still so excited I could dance around the house! We've all been praying for this to happen for years. Since I got married and moved away, we've actually developed a pretty good relationship, but now it's even BETTER because he is not only my blood brother, but he is also my forever brother in Christ as well. And I love him. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

And now I will end here, before this gets to be a mile long. :)