Really?

I can't believe the 4th of July is this weekend. Summer is moving right along, and before you know it we'll be seeing school supplies and thinking about going back to school again. Oh wait, not me. Not this time! I think I will realize the strangeness of this all when teacher in-service week starts and I'm not expected to show up. And then again on the first day of school for the kids when I don't have to get that little nervous feeling brought on by starting a new year. I think I would have had an interesting year--only five kids! Really? Really. At least there would have been boys in this class. I'll miss it. I already do.

OK, I have to pay tribute to the King of Pop. Deaths of this sort tend to shock me and it takes me awhile to lose interest. I wonder if I'll always remember where I was when I found out? I just might because it seems pretty random. Keith Shew dropped the "two people died today" bomb on us at the 'end' of a fun day at the lakes. What?!?! Michael Jackson?!? This is tragic. I think I feel this way because of everything he accomplished. He was truly talented. He's also one of the only artists I remember dancing and singing to since I was very little. I remember seeing his videos on TV and thinking, "This is weird." when watching Thriller. I remember wondering at his dance moves and loving to sing along. So, yeah, he got weird and looked weird, but here is how I would like to remember him. Oh, and yes, I have been listening to MJ songs for the last three days.



Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood to terrorize your neighborhood. And whosoever can be found without the soul for 'getting down'...


What else?

Bed rest was a success. Here is a picture of what I saw everyday for about eight full hours:


So sweet. I think they were really happy about having someone to lay down and cuddle with for most of the day! I went on a cleaning frenzy after bed rest. The cats are shedding like crazy now, and were then too, so you can imagine how sick I was of cat hair. I think I vacuumed up another full size cat.

The first weekend of mobility after bed rest Luke and I went to the Kingsley 125 anniversary parade. We sat on the street across from the nursing home residents. I thought this little old man was so cute because he would stand up every once in a while when the bands or interesting floats would come by and would take a picture. I wonder what he plans to do with those pictures? Can you see him in this picture?



Lastly, here are some pregnancy pictures. Yippee! All appointments have gone well. I have an ultrasound scheduled for July 13 at 1:30. Hopefully Luke will be able to make it, and we can get a good look at whether this little one is a boy or girl. It seems I am constantly praying for the baby, and now I can feel little kicks, so it reminds me to thank Jesus and pray for the baby to grow and grow and be healthy, and tell God that my body is in His hands and I trust Him.
This is 15 weeks at the beginning of June:

This is 19 weeks at the beginning of July:


I had to be a little creative this morning with the camera and mirror.

We will spend the 4th in Marshalltown with my family and friends. Hopefully we will get to see my youth pastor and his family. I hope we also get to see an amazing fireworks display! I also love how the Marshalltown boy scouts put out little flags next to everybody's mail boxes on the morning of the 4th. It's so festive. I'll get a picture of it for you. This is awful, but one year my sisters and I stole the flags from like all our neighbors' yards. One of them got mad. I don't blame him. Sometimes I cringe remembering the naughty things we used to do. Ever wish you could erase certain things from your past? Sometimes I do, but then my present would be incomplete I suppose. Well, I'm off to pack, fold laundry, watch Matt Lauer's report from Neverland, and have lunch.

Happy 4th, friends!