Furniture Blessing!

Well, the crib and dresser have been ordered! A HUGE thank you to Natalie's Papa and Je Je Lubke and Great Pawpaw Ray and Sue Lubke. I was slightly disappointed this week to find that the crib and dresser I originally picked out was "temporarily out of stock". However, things always work out, and I ended up finding something I liked EVEN BETTER in the same price range at JC Penney. YooHoo! Here are the pictures of the crib and dresser: (They will both be in a cherry finish.)

The crib as a crib


The crib as toddler bed with railing


A toddler bed with no railing


Converted to a full size bed


The Dresser

I can't wait to have them delivered and get them assembled. With any luck at all, hopefully mom will be able to see them when she is down in two and 1/2 weeks. Although, I won't get my hopes up too high since the crib says 4 weeks for delivery. :( A very generous co-worker gifted a his daughter's slightly used beautiful cherry finish changing table that will be able to be used as a second dresser. So Miss Natalie Shea is fixed up with all the essential furniture pieces!

Productivity! It feels so good.

With Nick off and about in the Dominican Republic for the next week, Charles (the cat) and I were left with the entire weekend to ourselves. Since we haven't gotten any rain in the last several days, it has become blazing hot and Charles opted to spend most of the day inside "helping" me. He sure is a nice companion. Saturday and Sunday I accomplished the following:
*Removed everything from the kitchen counters, cleaned and reorganized. My kitchen has never looked so good!
*Did dishes
*Removed baseboards from the final bedroom to prep for the installation of the wood floors
*Cleaned out our room and put away lots of Nick's "piles", or, as I lovingly refer to them, rat holes he likes to make in various parts of the house
*Took down, washed, and re-hung curtains in our bedroom
*Washed, dried, and put away more laundry including bedding
*Made great progress on current knitting project - a baby sweater that is my favorite thing yet! Pictures to come when it's finished.
*Watched a movie from Blockbuster
*Had a delicious snack (several times) of Rice Krispie Treats and milk I made Friday. FYI: instead of spreading the mix into a baking dish, I used muffin tins. I was able to just pop them out and store in a Tupperware without having to cut and such. Brilliant, I know. ;)
*Cleaned bathrooms
*Dusted
*Attended early (8:15) church service -this is a rare happening (not the attending church part, the attending EARLY service part....just to clarify. :))
*Went to Michael's and got frames for 5 prints I've had for years that I've never bought frames for that need to be hung in our house. Bought frames for 2 pieces of art Nick got in Panama - one for Natalie's nursery (quilted piece of a cross and baptismal shell), and one for his office, a painting on cloth. Also found INCREDIBLE deal on two art pieces that are about 2.5 ft x 2.5 ft that match our bedroom perfectly! Also got some beautiful silk flowers for a neat vase I've had for a long time for our kitchen table. The vase is dark royal blue and white glass and I got deep dark red-velvet hydrangea looking flowers and little white ones for accent.
*Came home and put all pictures in corresponding frames, hung wall art, and arranged flowers. It's amazing how much little things can make such a big difference. Too bad I'm not better at interior decorating.... :(
*Went to Target for essentials and gifts for a double baby shower I'm attending this evening. It's babypalooza around these parts.
*Wrapped shower gifts
*Went to produce stand and stocked up on fresh fruits and vegis. I LOVE our local produce stand. I have been purchasing 95% of my produce there for the past several months. Although that means an extra stop, its cheaper and much better quality than even our best grocery store. I haven't been disappointed once since I started shopping there.
*Came home and chowed down on an amazing peach! Yummy juicy goodness.
*Took an evening walk even though it was still pretty stinking hot at 8pm

I have to admit that with my focused energy, and Nick not there to distract me and/or make my cleaning attempts in vain as he comes along behind me like Pig Pen from Peanuts, I got an amazing amount of work accomplished! I can't wait to see my house once the final room is finished and all of our furniture can go back to their appropriate places. Then I can really feel a sense of satisfaction.

P.S. As if Nick and I didn't have anything else going on in our lives right now, I wanted to let everyone know that he has officially been extended a call to St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Houston, TX to be their Director of Young Adult and Youth Ministry. They have been pursuing him since April, and he visited them in May. So while this is new news for most, it's not really new for us. I knew all along they wanted him. Who wouldn't? Of course, I'm really biased. So, we are currently prayerfully considering this call. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek God's will in this.

What a Week!

Man oh man. It has been a week for the Moss'. This past weekend we traveled up to Hoyleton, IL for our good friend's, Josh, ordination. There will be more to come on that...we did take lots of pictures. It was fun, but exhausting. We are all kind of like a big family, and there are always good times and bad when it comes to family.
After our flight getting delayed and getting back home late on Monday night, it was off to work for me on Tuesday morning. When I got in, my boss called me into his office and presented me with an "opportunity". It looks like I'm going to take over a small team of 4 - the research team. I'm a little apprehensive about it, but I know that it will all work out. I need experience managing people, and this will be a nice baby step since it is such a small group. In addition, I'll still retain all of my current job responsibilities, which is a good thing. Nothing has been officially announced yet, so I'm not sure when I'll make the move, but I know it will be sometime soon. The biggest concern I have is that I'm obviously a ticking time bomb and will only have about 3 months to get my bearings before I'm out completely for 2 months and partly for 3 (I plan to come back part time my last 4 weeks of leave)! God will sustain me.
On top of this, Nick came down with some sort of bug and has been running a fever since Monday night. This usually wouldn't be a big deal, but he is supposed to be leaving for the Dominican Republic in a day and a half. As if I didn't have enough to be concerned with him going to a foreign country. My oh my. Please keep him in your prayers.
There's more you say? Of course! Last night I had my final presentation for my FINAL class!!! It's unofficially official - I've got my MBA! Praise God! It has been a long road full of sacrifices not only on my part, but Nick's as well. I had to thank him for all the support he has given me over the past three years concerning this. I truly am thankful, and hope that this all pays off in the long run. I'm am greatly looking forward to graduation on August 9th. My mom will be coming down as well as Nick's mom and dad.
I think that I'm due for a break. I guess I'll have lots of free time this coming week since Nick will be gone and the dust will have settled by then. I know I'll think of something to do!
Lastly, in baby news, Natalie the Peanut has come into her own the past week and has been very active. Nick has been able to feel her moving around, and last night we even saw my belly move! It's amazing, but it can be distracting at work. :)

Nick is back in the States

I just got a call from Nick, and they had made it safe and sound into Miami from Panama. It sounds like he had a successful trip, but I'll let him tell you all about it. He'll arrive in St. Louis tonight, and then I'll fly in tomorrow night after I get off work. Finally, I get to see him, but I'll have to share him.
I am very excited, though. We are actually ending up in a small town about an hour outside of St. Louis in southern Illinois. We, along with some of our other college friends, are coming together to celebrate the ordination of our good friend Josh. He just finished seminary in May, and is starting his first call.
Nick and I have been so blessed to have such wonderful friends. Alas, most are church-workers and thus live far away, so we aren't able to see them very often. It seems like it's that way with all the ones we love. :( We do our best to get together once a year or so, but it is an effort to do so with time, schedules, money, and now for some of us, children. Josh and his wife Rebekah are way ahead of us, though - she just found out a few weeks ago they are expecting #3! Meanwhile, I'm trying to wrap my head around 1! :) It's always worth it when we do get together, though, and we all just pick right up without skipping a beat. I suppose that's one of the qualities in a great friend. The "gang" this weekend will include: Josh & Rebekah with their little boy and little girl, Tommy and Laura from Texas, Jake & Tara with their little girl from IL, and me & Nick.
I will try to make it a point to take some pictures. I always have great intentions when it comes to picture taking, but somehow, I get caught up in all the fun and forget all about it!
Since I can't seem to make an entry without a baby update, here's something for you all. I get an email each week from the babycenter website. It tells you approximately how big your baby is and what new developments are happening that week. I have really enjoyed getting it and find it really fun to watch the growth from week to week. According to the 23 week update, Natalie the Peanut is about a foot long, and weighs almost 1 1/2 pounds. Here's the picture I got yesterday:

It's kind of pretty darn neat if you ask me. I can't WAIT to see what she will look like! I told Nick a long time ago that he better give me smart and pretty children. :) I know he will.

Registry Fun and More

It is finished! This Saturday, I spent all day registering for baby paraphernalia. A good friend from church, Jodi Tucker, sacrificed her entire Saturday to traipse around town with me as my personal consultant. :) I'm confident that without her help, I may have ended up in a puddle of goo right in the middle of Target! At the very least, I would have had to go back about 10 times since I would have left off things that are needed.
I would totally recommend any first time mom to take along someone with "experience" in recent baby things. Jodi was just fabulous with her knowledge and guidance as well as lots of fun to spend the day with! (She just had a little cutie pie, Aiden, in February. We found the most adorable little western outfit for him including a cowboy hat! He'll love those pictures when he's about 16. :))
I know that Nick will appreciate not having to go along and look at baby things for hours on end trying to make countless decisions!
I registered for about 98% of things at Target because 1) I love Target, and 2) They are all over the place and easy to get to. At Babies R Us, I basically just have furniture - crib, mattress, dresser, and glider chair - with a few odds and ends added that I couldn't find at Target.
Another wonderful thing about registering is that you have a place to keep track of the things you need (it's amazing everything that baby and mom need!), and what you like. So in 3 months, I can just pop on to purchase the rest of everything we need without having to try and remember what I did months ago - I know I would never remember! So, as Michael from The Office would say, It's a "win-win-win". :)
Thanks again, Jodi! You are the best!

Other than that, I am staying busy while Nick is gone trying to pass the time. Friday, I organized our closet which included sorting through all our shoes making a keep, donate, and throw away pile. In the evening I went to spend a delightful evening with my Aunt Elaine, Uncle Dick, cousin Krystle, and her boyfriend Alex. We went out for a nice dinner, and then watched a few fireworks that their neighbor was setting off. Saturday, as aforementioned, I spent the day shopping for Natalie the Peanut. Sunday was church (I played my trumpet - patriotic hymns - for the service), and today is back to the old grindstone. I even picked up a "part-time" job until Wednesday evening. I'm dog-sitting the pastor's pooch two times per day. They live very close to our house, and what more, they have a pool that I can exercise in in the evenings! It's been great.

I hope all of you had a blessed 4th of July and took some time to give thanks to God for the great nation we live in, the people who defend it, and the freedoms we have as citizens of the good old USofA!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

It is finally here-July. The month that I have been looking forward to since January. Tomorrow I leave for Panama with 3 college students and one other adult. This is the first "College-Age" Mission trip that St. Paul has ever had, and I am leading it! I get back from Panama on July 10 and fly into Miami, but instead of heading back to Lakeland, I am going strait to St. Louis for Josh Theilen's ordination. Candace is catching a flight up there the next day. We are really excited to see our good friends.
We get back to Lakeland on July 14 and then on July 19 I head to the Dominican Republic with 10 High School Students and 3 other adults. We are participating in a Mission Trip down there and I am really excited to lead this group!
So as you can see, it is a busy month, but it is an exciting month. Please keep our travel in your prayers and call Candace and check up on her if you can.
Here are some pictures Candace wanted me to post...Her mom has not yet seen her "pregnant belly". Here you go Janet!



(Pictures taken at approximately 21 1/2 weeks.)

Natalie Shea is on her way!

It's sugar and spice for the Moss family this time around. :) We had our second sonogram yesterday and confirmed that we are having a little girl. So, my gut feeling was wrong, but that's just fine with me. I certainly love this little girl that God has blessed us with already. :)
We had a "regular" sonogram, but Nick and I were surprised just how much you could see! The pictures just don't do it justice, but we will share anyway. She was sleeping when we first got started, so the lady jiggled my belly to wake her up, and then she was up! We watched for about 1/2 an hour as she kicked and squirmed and sucked her thumb...truly amazing I tell you! A sweet little Peanut indeed.
All the measurements were normal and all ten fingers and toes where there with no extras. :)She weighs about 14oz, just under 1lb! The only thing that wasn't normal, was with me (surprise, surprise). I have a low lying placenta, which apparently, at this stage in the game doesn't mean too much - most of the time it "migrates" up over the next few weeks. I will get to talk to my doctor more about it next week at my appointment. The most important thing is that Natalie is ok and healthy as can be! Because of this, the sonogram tech said that I will probably be back to see her in a few weeks to check on the progress of the placenta.
Other than that I will continue to pray for a healthy and continued uneventful pregnancy as I have been blessed with so far! Enjoy the pictures of our sweet little peanut!
Profile with her knees up.

All the little piggies on one foot

My favorite of the pictures - looking down at her face with her hands by her cheeks


Love to you all!

Wedding Pictures!!!!

As promised, here are some pictures from the Moss - Bruchhaus Wedding festivities. Thanks to Cara (Bartow) Brancato (I hope I spelled that correctly!)for taking such great pictures!

The lovely Bride and Groom at the rehersal dinner at Bass Pro Shop.

Mother of the Bride and Bride at rehersal dinner

Nick, Me, and Peanut at rehersal

Parents of the Bride - Gary and Nadine

Picture time! Abby and Michael

Family Shot

Take 2!

Michael with his big bro and little sis

Nick, Me, and Peanut all gussied up! :)

Murray and Nadine looking spiffy!

Beautiful picture.

Looking gorgeous!

You look pretty, too, Gary, but sorry, you can't be a bridesmaid! :)

Michael with one of the flower girls, Maggie. She was one of the sweetest little girls I've ever met!

Nadine and her sisters

Hanging out before the ceremony

Redeemer Luther Church...five and 1/2 years ago Nick and I said "I do" here, too!

Right before the reception - fun shot

The Zimmerschied grandkids

Nick dancing with his little sister...awe...

My favorite shot! I love you Abby! So glad we were there to celebrate with you and Michael!!

20 weeks and Moving!

Well, I guess I've officially reached the half way point! In some ways it seems like it's been forever, but other times it seems like I just found out. That's how life in general is, though.
In the past week I have finally been able to feel Peanut moving around a bit with more frequent activity the past couple of days. It's pretty weird, but not as weird as I thought it would be. Perhaps because it starts out so faint and gradually gets stronger. I know Nick can't wait to feel the little one tumbling around in my belly. He'll have to wait just a little longer until Peanut gets a little bigger and a little stronger.
In other exciting news (well maybe just for me), the flooring in the nursery is finished with only baseboards to be installed. So, last night I got a little carried away with the next room. Nick worked until 10:30 last night, so he wasn't there to cool my jets. These are what my mother calls "wild hairs". I get the tendency from my dad. It's basically when you get your mind set on something and it becomes almost an obsession. This can be good sometimes, but is usually better if you have someone that can monitor/control you in some way. Last night I pulled up tack board, shop vac-ed, laid the moisture seal and padding for part of the room, and laid 5 rows of wood laminate. Charles kept me company most of the time. I find it quite funny that he doesn't mind the noise, or he minds it, but not enough to be away from my side. He came up to me every once in a while to be pet. I think he just wanted me to know that he was there and make sure I noticed. By the time I finally made myself quit, I was already sore from all the bending over, squatting, hammering, etc. This is usually NOT a good sign, since most of the time you don't feel the effects of your labor until the next day. I figured that I wouldn't be able to move today, but it isn't too bad.
Nick got home and couldn't believe that I had actually done it all by myself. I don't know why he was so shocked. I can follow directions, and I've done many-a home improvement task in my time. I will say that it is a lot easier with two people, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! :)

P.S. Everyone should cut something with a power saw at least once. It makes you feel so powerful! :)

Wonderful Wedding, Beautiful Bride!

Well, we arrived back safe and sound from big MO. The wedding was wonderful, but things like that can wear you out fast!
Nick is in possession of the few pictures we have, so he will have to post them sometime soon.
It was a joyous occasion to be sure. Abby is blessed (as was I) to marry into a wonderful, loving, Christian family. Michael is from Louisiana and has a great accent. Fortunately, Gary and Nadine had been around them several times before, so I didn't have to interpret much! :) Hey, I will always remember the homeland (Texas) no matter how long I'm away! I will say that Louisiana accents and Texas accents do differ somewhat, but in the end, it's all southern.
It was great to be able to see so much family. That's another thing weddings are great for! You get to kill like 80 birds with one stone. :)

Not much new baby news as of right now. According to averages, Peanut is a just about 10 inches long from head to foot and weighs about 9oz. We are excited to find out whether we are having Simon the Peanut or Natalie the Peanut on the 24th of this month! Toss your vote into the hat! Right now the vote is swinging towards a girl, so I guess we'll see.

With that I will leave you with the funny of the day:
Grandpa Moss has always referred to me as an "outlaw". (Jokingly - I love Gpa Moss!)
Well, he told me this past weekend that I would officially become an in-law in November since I will have contributed something to the family! :)

Potpourri

Well, Nick and I will be off to Springfield for Abby and Michael's wedding this weekend! We are so excited. Our plane leaves bright and early on Friday morning - early enough to arrive in Springfield by 8:55am! Since we will be out of pocket for a few days, I thought I leave some odds and ends to amuse and entertain you! :)
First up is a GREAT picture of Nick and Murray taken when he was here just a couple weeks ago. The Moss' produce some handsome men, wouldn't you agree?

P.S. Many of you may have not seen Nick since he has grown a beard. He's had it since Christmas, and I have grown to love it...honest!
Speaking of my husband. He did come through and I received this thoughtful belated mother's day gift from him last week.

James Avery is the BEST!
Now onto baby things. I started knitting a baby dress in January (before I was even pregnant) and I finally finished it! The pattern is pretty monotonous, which is probably why it took so long for me to finish, but the end result is adorable! No we don't know the sex yet (ultra sound is scheduled for the 24th of June), but if my feelings are correct, this cute little number won't be worn for a while....




This past weekend we visited Dave and Sonya along with their friends Christina and Jason (and little girl). Christina gifted Peanut with an outfit that will be GREAT blackmail material when they are about 16. Behold the adorable adornment:



In other knitting news, this little guy is my first attempt at a knitted toy. He is kind of cute in that "so ugly it's cute" sort of way. :)Teady has grown on me, though.

Finally, we leave you with our messy Charles. He slings his food EVERYWHERE. We find it all over the floor and little pieces stuck to the wall as well. In addition, he drinks his water in such a way that it pools over the side, not only making a puddle, but also making his spilt food mushy. What are we going to do with him? We love him anyway!! :)

(This mind you is a very mild picture of his mess.)
Hope you all enjoy your weekend! I'm sure we will see some of you at the big wedding bash. I think I'll spend the plane ride up helping Nick learn to spell and pronounce Abby's new last name! :)

Houston....We Have Liftoff

Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off last Saturday at 5:05p.m. from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Candace and I went over to Dave and Sonya's on Friday night. They live a few miles from Coco Beach. We enjoyed the company of their friends Jason and Christina and little one (6 weeks old...and I can't spell the name of their daughter, so I won't try). They are great people and I hope we get to see them again soon.
Candace and I got to experience the Wii for the first time. It is a pretty amazing machine. I let her beat me at Tennis boxing. I decided to win at Bowling and Baseball. Dave bought the Madden NFL game and that was hard to play. Jason brought Tiger Woods 08...I think I play better on the "real" golf course!
Saturday we went to the beach. The waves were good, so I got to boogie board some. I also got really sunburned...the Florida sun is dangerous!
We went back to the Timmerman's apartment and cleaned up and then went to see the Shuttle Launch. We watched it from a park which was on the Banana River and right across from the Space Center. It was a cool experience. See the photos below...










On our ride back to Lakeland Saturday night (which took over 1.5 hours LONGER than normal because of the traffic back-up on the 528 Beachline) we passed these people that were moving. It looks like they ran out of room in the truck. Kind of reminds me of the opening sequence of the TV show "the Beverly Hillbillies"