Friday, February 17, 2012

Our little car story

We get our car back today! It's been in the shop for almost two weeks getting a new engine put in.

Why you ask? Well, here's the story:

A couple weeks ago we took our car in for routine maintenance. There were a few things that needed to be taken care of, but all pretty minor. Since this is our one and only vehicle, we got the repairs done.

In the mean time, we went to my 12 week checkup for baby. Which was wonderful! We got to see baby move and wiggle, hear it's heart beat and see his/her little hands and feet. So cool! After the appointment we went around and told a few friends about baby and just had a spectacular day, feeling incredibly blessed.

 After picking up the car, we started home from Portland... and the car died on I-5 south just before the Terwilliger curves, it was around 8:30pm. You know that spot where all the construction is? We were able to pull our car off to the shoulder right before that, another 50 feet and we wouldn't have had anywhere to pull off the road.

 I am thankful for the ODOT guy who stopped and checked on us, my dad who came and picked us up, the tow truck that took our car to the shop, and our mechanic for staying up late to make sure our car got back to the shop. Also, for the use of the vehicles we were able to use the last two weeks, my dad's car, Luke's dad's pickup, and Luke's grandma's car.

For all you mechanics people out there, here's what happened that made the car die, it had nothing to do with the repairs earlier in the day. The water pump seized up, with out any warning, which caused the timing belt to snap and bend parts of the engine, killing the engine.

I'm SO thankful I wasn't the one driving and that Luke took care of everything.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

For this child, we prayed...


Yes, this is what you think it is! :)

Luke and I have been holding our little one a secret for a few months and now we're sharing our joy with all of you.

A few of you may have been curious from my last post why Luke went on California Screamin' all by himself, well, now you know. Pregnancy has it's price, but I am totally willing to give up a few things now and then for the joy of knowing I am carrying one of God's most precious gifts!

Baby is due August 15th, 2012. So, If you're doing the math, that means I am about 13 weeks along just about done with my first trimester. It's so crazy how much baby has grown in the last month, from a little blob with barely distinguishable arm and leg buds to a baby with a little nose and fingers and toes.

Common questions we've been getting:
Are you finding out if it's a boy or girl before?
-We aren't planning to, we'd really like to be surprised.

Do you have names picked out?
-No, we're working on it though and we'll announce the name when baby arrives.

Do you have morning sickness?
-YES, gross! Looking forward to it going away!

Please keep Luke, me, and baby in your prayers as you think of us.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

California

Luke and I were able to take a trip to Disneyland this last week. We were celebrating Luke's birthday and our 3rd anniversary. It was so good to get away and enjoy some warmer weather while it was snowing at home in Oregon.

Day 1 of our trip was spent packing and getting last minute errands done (oil change, bank run, dinner, and some time with Rachel's sister, Heather, as she searched, tried on, and found, her wedding dress) before finally heading south around five in the evening. We arrived at our first hotel in Yreka, CA around 11pm

Day 2, Luke's birthday, was spent entirely in the car driving to Anaheim, CA to check in to our hotel for the next few days. Pretty uneventful day, just slightly stressful as we got into LA and experienced California driving in full force.

Day 3 We enjoyed a very full day at Disneyland. Riding as many rides as we could and walking around to different attractions. I think our favorite ride together was Pirates of the Caribbean, Luke's favorite of the day was Space Mountain, and mine...well, I couldn't really pick a favorite. I really was just thankful for time with Luke doing fun things and having sun on my face. :) We took a short break from Disneyland at lunch to visit a friend of mine, Angela (along with her son and niece), at Rainforest Cafe. Good times.

Day 4: It was time for California Adventure. After the full day at Disneyland, we took our time wandering around. With it being Tuesday, a lot of the extra attractions were closed, but we were still able to enjoy California Screamin',  Mickey's Fun Wheel, and a few others. Luke went on California Screamin' a couple times, did you know that if you're a single rider you can go in through the exit and skip the entire line (you get a special ticket from the employee that stands at the exit)? That was nice to find out, we were able to bypass a lot of the 40min waits that way. :)

Day 5 We left Disneyland behind and drive north to San Francisco. Arriving around the time of rush hour traffic, we decided to stop and walk along Fisherman's Wharf. I got a wonderful clam chowder bowl for dinner at Boudin Bakery, while Luke tried out their grilled cheese. It was a nice unexpected stop along the way, with some interesting, and also strange, sites to see.

Day 6 Our last day on the road. We drove Hwy 101 north through the Red Wood National Forest, and saw quite a few elk along the way. It was a very wet and rainy drive home, but we made it safe and sound back to the little apartment in Yamhill.

We're so happy we were able to spend the time away. It's always a little bitter-sweat coming home from vacation though and back to reality. It's so much fun making memories and exploring new places. Thank you to all of you who prayed for us as we drove. We are very blessed to have you in our lives.