Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit

It's true--I have a lot of gas due to pregnancy, but that's not what this post is about! :)

Every time I sit at my table to go through the monotonous task of sorting the beans, I can only think about how I miss going to the store and picking out a can of refried beans. I dream of simply opening the can, dumping them in the pan, and BAM--within minutes, they are ready to go! (It's good for all you back in the States to know what will make me happy when we come! Don't worry about taking me to movies or the mall, just a grocery store where I can pick out some canned food to make for an easy dinner!)

Tonight it was nice to have power during my bean sorting fun. I had both lights to see and music to listen to, in order to pass the time more quickly. Luckily, I'm only making enough for Andrew and me, so I didn't have to do the whole bag.

I am excited for our dinner tomorrow--the tortilla making (done by our house worker) and bean preparation, although time consuming, make for a delicious meal!!

What's a Girl to Do??

For those of you who know me, you know that I don't really do "free time". It's extremely hard for me to sit, relax and be still; and although I have slowed down since being pregnant, I still need stimulation throughout the day to keep me going.
Here's my scenario: I work part-time; and right now, it's very part-time, like 1 or 2 days/week. So, on the days when I am not working, Andrew has the car and I'm at home. It doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I'm an early riser, so my day starts about 7 am, which makes the time tick by even more slowly. Everyday, I have a "to-do" list for myself, but I've been finding that I get my list done with-in a few hours and then it's 11 or 12 o'clock and I'm stuck with NOTHING to do!! It drives me crazy.
I do my best to keep myself busy...I clean, bake, read, watch TV, read blogs, go through e-mails, do laundry, listen to music, take walks and play games online.
I've got all of Anaiah's blankets & clothes laundered and put away. Her cradle is set-up and both our bags are packed for the hospital. We are stocked up on diapers and wipes.

So, my questions to you is this: Do you have any ideas for what I can be doing until our baby girl is born? (And yes, I know...once the baby comes, my life will change forever. I'll never lack for anything to do, blah, blah, blah.) I've heard all of that, and I know that I will be busy once she is here, but what do I do in the meantime to keep myself occupied??


**And I must give a shout-out to my dear Grandmas, from whom I inherited this lovely gene of "busyness". Thanks to both of you. :)

Time Marches On

It seems like life is happening so quickly these days.

First of all, it's June--did you hear me? I said June. I feel like just yesterday it was Christmas time and Andrew & I were in Idaho celebrating the marriage of my brother and Hayley. I must be getting old, because old people always say, "Well, where has the time gone?" And that's how I feel.

The sea container has been packed and shipped and will soon be arriving in Kenya, to be driven by truck to Uganda. What seemed like such a daunting task is now done...a huge milestone in our pursuit to move to Uganda. Thank you to my husband, Ryan, and Jeff for working so hard on a gigantic job--they did GREAT and sacrificed many hours of sleep to get everything packed "just so."

Andrew and I are working hard to gather the remaining start-up costs that are needed for our move, secure a salary for our family, meet with every life group at Vancouver (our sending church) so that we can get to know people better, and talk out the details of emotional/spiritual accountability with our missions committee. (and we only have 6 months to get this all done!)

I am in my third trimester of pregnancy and am due to have our baby girl in 86 days.

I am having a baby...WOW!! It still amazes me that God created this little life inside me, when we had all but given up on trying. I am excited and apprehensive for everything that will come along with this new life that Andrew and I will be caring for.

Whenever she does come into this world, she'll hit the ground running. From trips to Idaho, California, Thanksgiving and early Christmas celebrations before we leave for Uganda, our schedule will be packed and Andrew and I will most likely be worn out. But it will be great and she will be loved.

I know that time will continue to tick away and before I know it, Andrew, Anaiah, and I will be boarding a plane to move to our new home in Fort, Portal, Uganda, Africa.

Until then, I think I'll just take a deep breath, relax, and see what God has in store for me today; after all, the Creator Himself told me that I should focus on today and He will provide for all I need and take care of all that lies in store for me.

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:34