Tuesday, July 07, 2009

My flowers

Sadly, I have a very UN-green thumb. It seems that every house plant I've had has died under my over-attentive care. It's such a bummer. So, that is why I am posting these pictures of my hanging plants outside my front door. They are so pretty and thriving right now and I am just not sure how long this is going to last. 



So, there! Some evidence that not all plants hate me! And see that little green bush at the corner of our step? That is a tomato plant that has had its stem broken in two places but still hasn't died! I think it was given by God to encourage me! It even has little yellow blossoms on it! Miracle DO happen!!

Monday, July 06, 2009

Summer Kick-off Camping Trip

I was kind of wondering how great it would be to go camping while 7 months pregnant. I think people thought I was a tad crazy to consider it (and I was beginning to wonder myself), but it was actually really great. We have a nice little air mattress that makes sleeping comfortable and our tent is so cozy. Plus, I just LOVE camping so much. I am so happy that David loves it too. To me, it beats an expensive room in a classy hotel any day (as long as it's okay that I look like a homeless person for a while. I probably wouldn't be so keen on it if I had to go to a wedding the next day, but you get my drift!). 

So here are some of the reasons why I love camping...

Historical sights
(this is a memorial to the hungry poor who died during the famine)


Amazing camp sites on rocky ledges...

...with incredible views!

Encountering wild life! 
(This is a jellyfish that was stranded by low tide)

Stunning backgrounds for my 30 weeks pregnant picture!


Watching the sunset get increasingly more beautiful.


And best of all...bringing home some fish for supper! 

I was so excited when David came back to our tent with fish in the bucket that he had caught right off the rocks in the ocean! That's my man! And the mackerel were delicious. 

Friday, July 03, 2009

Marble Arch Cave

I love how our Heavenly Father provides for us in surprising ways. 

David and I LOVE to explore new places and find adventurous things to do in Ireland, but with the high petrol prices and us going to the States this summer, we have been trying to be really careful about spending. WELL, a few weeks ago, David had half a dozen or more music students going for exams near a town we had never been to before, called Fermanagh. This is where God stepped in and surprised us with a little unexpected holiday! One of the student's parents were unable to bring him to the exam so they paid David petrol money, money for a nice meal (for three of us), plus money to go and visit the Marble Arch Caves! It was an amazing day out and we enjoyed it so much (and didn't have to spend a dime...or rather a pence!)

Here are a few pictures from our adventure...

Descending into the cave. 
It was very warm outside, but started to get pretty chilly at about this point.

There were stalacmites and stalactites in abundance!
We took a boat ride down the underground river and then walked quite a way back into the cave. It was beautiful and the pictures don't do it justice. This video is really funny because you can hardly see a thing...very cavelike! Enjoy! :)




Friday, June 26, 2009

Playing in the Orchestra

I had the amazing opportunity to play with the New Irish Orchestra as they played behind Keith and Krysten Getty in Derry last weekend. This talented couple has been writing modern hymns for several years and one of their most popular is "In Christ Alone". I was a little over my head with only four days to practice the 15+ songs, but it was very good for me. I haven't practiced my violin that much in I don't know how long! 

Can you see me? I am in the back row of the orchestra (on the floor), second violin from the right. My friend, Ramona, is sitting right in front of me. David took a short little video clip so you could get a taste of the atmosphere. Too bad there was a tall guy sitting right in front of him!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

River City Church Baptism


What a blessing it was to see celebration like this one! There is no greater reason to celebrate than a life entering into a personal relationship with the Creator of all living things! The beautiful young lady who was baptized gave a powerful testimony to the change in her life. Praise the Lord! 

An Irish Traffic Jam

We had quite a baaaad hold-up on the road the other day (sorry, I know that was lamb, I mean lame!). Okay, enough with the "humor"....I thought you all might enjoy a little peek into a typical Irish traffic jam out in the country side! (Sorry the video is so blurry. I had it set on a weird setting.)

Friday, June 12, 2009

Photo Shoot

I have such adorable nieces and nephews! (and I'm not biased at all!) I was privileged to do a photo shoot of Lilia recently and she charmed us all. Here are a few of the shots...

I think we should call this one, "The wonder of it all!"

This was just a snapshot afterwards, but I love her beautiful blue eyes!

And we even managed to get one of all three of the kiddos! 
Rhiannon, Reuben, and Lilia
They are such a sweet blessing.

Friday, June 05, 2009

Wild Horses

One of the things that my father-in-law enjoys doing is buying, training, and selling horses. They are usually pretty wild and he does just the preliminary training. Things like, getting them used to the bit and bridle, having a saddle on their back, and responding to the reins. 


A few days ago, he called us asking if we could help him drive some wild horses from a field, down a road, and into a corral so he could load them in his trailer. Our job was to block off all the side roads and keep them running in the right direction. It was quite exciting! Here's a short video of them getting in the trailer. They are such beautiful animals!


Wednesday, June 03, 2009

40 Years!

It all began in sixty-nine

In Hawaiian flowers and sunshine

They said “I do” and tied the knot

And started an adventurous plot!

 

Although sometimes the road was rough

They found they always had enough

And learned to lean on God above

And rest in His abiding love

 

Before too long they had a brood

Of three wee lasses and a dude

And these four children grew to find

That they had parents so good and kind

 

The time and energy they gave

To teach their children to behave

Would tire out the stoutest brute

They are the best, there’s no dispute!

 

And soon the children, bit by bit

Moved on to start their own outfits

The house was still, but not for long

For grandkids number 15 strong!

 

And when they all return, it’s true

Such noise and bustle does ensue!

But if you think that it will cease

I tell you, it shall more increase!

 

For generations shall be born

And like a garland, they are worn

Who knows what great potential lies

Within these infant baby cries

 

And just to think, it all began

With just one woman and one man

We’re oh-so-thankful for the way

They love each other, come what may

 

So why the poem? Have you guessed?

We want to tell them how we’re blessed

And how their lives lived day by day

Bring joy to others along the way!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! 
We love you!!

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

25 weeks

The only time in life when a person can be actually excited to see their stomach expanding at such an alarming rate is when they're pregnant. And so, in order to take advantage of this amazing pregnancy privilege, here is an updated picture of our little baby.

He/she is so busy and wild in there! It's great fun watching all the bumps and movement. I had a midwife appointment today and all is looking spot-on she said. I am measuring exactly 25 weeks so that looks good for September 13th (or whenever this baby decided to come)! What an amazing journey!

Monday, June 01, 2009

BIG birthday party!

This weekend we celebrated David's birthday with a BIG party! There were around 35 people here at our house (a record for us so far) and we had so much fun! We ate fajitas, had lots of yummy desserts, played outside (it wasn't raining...can you believe it?!), and did a lot of visiting. It was nice for me to have the chance to get to know some of David's friends a little better. They are all wonderful families. We are blessed to have such great friends like these! Here are a few pictures from the evening...

Check out that fire! There were a LOT of candles on that tiny cake! :)

You know how when you get married, there is a lot of blending that takes place with traditions and such? Well, come to find out, blowing out candles was never a tradition in David's family. So he told me later that this is the first time he has ever blown out candles on a birthday cake! I couldn't believe it! 



The kids had a great time weeding out the grass around our oil tank and having grass wars! It's funny how kids can find things to do no matter what. Plus, now our oil tank looks nice and tidy! Thanks kids!


Aren't they little cutie pies?!

It was a wild, busy house but such fun! 

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

David's B-day!

Happy Birthday David!
May 27th
I am so grateful for this man! He is a gift from God to me and I feel so honored to be his wife. Everyday I am amazed at his strengths and gifts. He prays with me and for me everyday. He loves God's Word and I love how sometimes he just can't wait to tell me something new he has read or learned. He is a WAY better communicator than I am and he is extremely faithful and loyal. These are just a few (a very few) of the things I admire about David. 

He is my best friend and I love him so much!
And this is the look he will give me when he finds out that I did a post about him! 

Monday, May 25, 2009

Motor Bike racing in Ireland

The big North West bike race was on a few weekends ago in the north of Northern Ireland and David said that it was something I just 'had' to experience :). I have to admit that it was impressive to watch them fly by at the crazy speeds that they get! SCARY!! It is an extremely dangerous sport because they are racing on regular roads (imagine pot holes, twisty corners, and unpredictable surfaces) at speeds of well over 100 mph! People are big lovers of racing here and they can be found lining many of the fields and yards all along the route (which is a circle between three towns). The famous racer, Joey Dunlop, was from around these parts as well.

We stopped by Paul and Karen's caravan for a visit as well. It was a rainy day and the kids were extremely impressed with Sarah's gigantic 'brolly'. 


Here is a shot of some of the race!


Despite the rain, it was a super day!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Ahoy Mateys!

Operation Mobilization (OM) is a missions organization that I have become acquainted with since meeting David. He spent two years ministering on the Doulos ship as music coordinator. The ships travel all over the world stopping at port after port, spreading the Gospel through music, drama, practical skills, and its large on-board book fair. Recently we got word that their brand new ship, the Logos Hope, would be stopping in Belfast for a few weeks! So off we went, to tour this beautiful vessel of Hope. 

Our day on the ship...


After touring the large book fair for several hours, we relaxed in the cafe and had a nice "cuppa". It was quite spacious and very nicely laid out.

My sister-in-law, Sarah, has decided that she is going on the ship as well for a year or two. I am very excited for her. It is going to be an awesome experience although quite challenging I am sure!


In the evening, we enjoyed a night of praise and I caught a bit of video from the Korean dance that was shared...so beautiful! There are many, many nationalities represented in the volunteers on board. It's a cultural experience like none other!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Virtual Shower of Blessing!

A few Saturdays ago, I got the biggest surprise of my life! I was calmly sitting at my computer, working on a few things, when Skype suddenly rang. I was excited to see that it was Mindy and answered it. She started calmly asking me about what I was up to and we chatted for a bit and then she said, "We have something for you!" and turned the camera to show a huge crowd of people (about 50 or so) off to the side all saying "Surprise!!" I was stunned and it took me a while to realize that they were having a baby shower...for ME!! It was the most creative and wonderful thing ever!

To see how they pulled it off, read about all the behind the scenes genius HERE, at Mindy's blog. I am still in a state of shocked blessing at what they all did for me. It was incredible! Thank you everyone!!...from the bottom of my heart. 

Here are some of the gifts that they sent (to my in-laws house, where they were hidden for weeks!). Things that I never thought we would be able to afford, generously given to us by our wonderful friends and family.
In addition to what you see on the table, we were also given several LARGE items that we haven't assembled yet (although I can hardly wait!!). We were given a crib and matching changing table in a gorgeous dark wood that I love. Plus, a beautiful Graco portable crib from my parents. 

I will post pictures of the nursery once we get everything set up. I am so inspired now that I have stuff to actually put into it! Thank you again to all of you who took part in this amazing event. My sister, Mindy, especially, for doing all the arranging of this. What a blessed sister I am! 

My blessings have been... 
"pressed down, shaken together, and are running over..."!
(loosely quoted from Luke 6:38)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Yay for saving money!!

We had overnight visitors!! I love having company stay at our house and making them breakfast and all that fun stuff. Our friends came for one night and they were so much fun to have! The next day, they talked us into coming with them to an auction and a round of golf by the ocean. It was a little chilly but great fun!

(Above) All our balls are lined up to tee off! (I tried to remember everything that my friend Annette taught me during our golf lesson and was glad she couldn't see me! I had my "moments")
(Below) David shows us how it's done on the putting green.


Laura was so cute when she golfed! Her brother (in the white jacket) was visiting them from his home in South Africa. He was great fun to have as well.

So, after that we went to the auction and had a marvelous time! I now LOVE auctions! I could hardly believe the prices that things were going for! Unbelievable! 

So....are you ready for this!? Here are our lovely bargains that I am so excited about (well, mostly the last one, I guess).

First, David got this set of golf clubs for £10 ($14)! These are especially for when my dad comes to visit. :)  

Second, we bid on this wide screen, Panasonic TV and got it for £20 ($29)! This is for watching movies on. It's kind of weird, but over here you have to buy a TV license in order to watch television! I think that's dumb. Anyway, we don't miss it and I think my time is spent far wiser with us NOT having it in the house. (sorry about my little TV rant there! Back to the auction!..)

And last, but not least, we found this adorable pram (baby stroller) that was in great condition. The brand is Mamas & Papas and I was curious. So I looked up their website and was SHOCKED to find that their prams sell for up to £600!!! 
We got it for...*drumroll*....£5 ($7)!!!! 
It can interchange between the older kid seat (above) and the Moses basket (below). Can't you just imagine a cute little baby all snuggled down inside! 
Anyway, I feel so blessed by the Lord. He provides for all our needs and even for a few of our unnecessary wants too! And He even picked out a great color for the pram! I love it!
Praise the Lord!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Baking (or attempting to!)

Okay! I love reading all these beautiful blogs about food, like my cousin Erica's cooking blog! So I thought I would attempt to do a lovely post about making bread! It didn't exactly go like I hoped but the end product was good, so that is really what matters.

So, first you mix up your ingredients according to the recipe. I was just waiting for the yeast to activate in the water so I thought I would take some pictures of the ingredients, all artsy and posed (like a cooking show). However, I only have two ingredients clearly showing...not so clever!

Meanwhile, the yeast was really going to town! Okay, need to focus a little more I guess.

Here is the messy (but fun!) part...kneading the dough! Notice my rings carefully set aside in the background! I thought that dough plastered to the side of my wedding diamond might not be so cool.

Then, you let it rise and carefully cover it with a beautiful towel that your mother embroidered for your hope chest (or any towel that you might happen to have...but I am sure it won't work as well). 

Okay...I thought I learned this lesson already!

After punching it down twice, form the dough into loaves and let it rise again. Notice how my loaves are all lopsided and one side is bigger than the other? I am happy to say that it doesn't affect the taste.

And THEN!!!...bake it in the oven and fill the house with THE MOST glorious smell ever! Yum!

Okay...here is the recipe:
(from Elaine Nissley's kitchen in Lancaster, PA)

4 cups  milk
4 tsp.  salt
4 T   butter
4 T   honey
1 T   yeast
1/4 cup   warm water
9-10 cups   flour 
(I use 3 cups whole wheat and the rest white)

Mix together and let rise twice before forming into loaves. Bake at 350-375 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!!